


Repairing Damages

by Chichi97



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Anxiety Attacks, Character Death, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Multi, Panic Attacks, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Possible smut, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Protective Poe Dameron, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:48:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 46
Words: 175,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24524890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chichi97/pseuds/Chichi97
Summary: Working as a mechanic for the Resistance was never supposed to be easy. The risks were at the back of  everyone's mind, between the rising first order and loom of war over their heads everyone was on edge, any day could be their last. But what wasn't supposed to be a problem was him, or rather, the feelings that were beginning to arise in his presence. They called him the best pilot in the resistance, perhaps even the galaxy, but he'd never look her way...right?
Relationships: Poe Dameron & Original Female Character(s), Poe Dameron/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 79





	1. The Droid

**Author's Note:**

> Set just before The Force Awakens, Sola, a droid mechanic new to the Resistance stumbles into Poe on the first day at the base. From then on she just seems to keep running into him, totally by accident of course. The story will follow loosely along side the movies but focus on the time at base/in between what happens in the movies from a new perspective. It's a slow burn romantic fic, with all the fluffy tropes, mention of blood, war, injuries, assault, death as well as panic attacks/anxiety so please remember this when reading if you are sensitive. 
> 
> I apologise for any mistakes with grammar or Star Wars Lore/Facts, I'm trying my best to stick to Canon information so if I got anything wrong feel free to correct me respectfully. Baring in mind this is from the perspective of an original character who also possess limited knowledge of certain areas. I appreciate all feedback and comments and hope you enjoy!

Were the engines always this loud?-

"Watch it short stuff!", a brush on her shoulder snapped the drumming sounds of transport engines to the back of her mind, bringing the new recruit around to mumble a string of apologies to the man who had barked at her on his passing.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" He didn't seem to wait for an answer, giving a small frown before hurrying forward and into the crowd around them. 

It was her first day on the new D'Qar base, a lush world in the Outer Rim which she had never had the pleasure to visit before, or any lush green planet for that matter. The colours were almost blinding to the naked eye. Every time she'd managed to catch a glimpse out of one of the small windows of the transport shuttle the breath had been caught in her lungs and her blue eyes went as wide as plates. 

The others onboard weren't as impressed by the trees and grass like she was, instead talking amongst themselves about the base, the ships, the pilots, and if they'd ever manage to catch a glimpse of the General herself. She was a legend of course, a role model to many, and the one who ran operations around here, which meant every word uttered was said with the most upmost respect and adoration.

"Did you see the new Resistance posters they started putting out around the Galaxy?"  
That had caught her attention in the ship, being from a more remote planet than most meant the young woman didn't much have the luxury of the newest advertisements and holo-net news.  
Turning her head slightly in the direction towards the talking couple, a man with dark slicked back hair, and a woman with a tan complexion seemed to be buzzing about this new poster pretty loudly. 

"That pilot was on it, Dameron, I heard he blew up more TIE's than the rest of the squadron combined!"  
She'd heard that name before, somewhere, someone had mentioned that man to her. Was it the recruiter she'd ran into only day's prior, or maybe someone talking a little too loudly at a cantina back on her home world? She couldn't remember at the time, but as the two went on about this pilots' accomplishments and looks, it was easy to tell that the Resistance were using him as their poster boy. Who could blame them really, stick a handsome man on every billboard with the title of best pilot in the Galaxy and watch the people flock to a cause they think is right and just. 

Only now they had all stepped off the ship and onto the hard tarmac and concrete, it was becoming a little less important as to what had led them here, and rather, what could keep them alive while they chose to remain. 

The line of X-Wings were impressive to say the least, and now that the steady noise of dozens of engines were breaking their way to the forefront of her spiralling thoughts the young recruit's breathing was becoming a little shorter. 

Engines blared from every angle, even as her head snapped around to try and find the group she'd arrived with and discern faces she might remember. Everything was loud, busy, which was good for a rebel base of course, but to someone who grew up almost alone in this world, on a backwater planet that was barely inhabitable, she was overwhelmed to say the least.

"OOF- Kriff-!"

Which only resulted in another inevitable fall as the new resistance member began stumbling forward into the crowd and accidentally, into a poor droid who just happened to pass by her feet.  
Fully expecting to be met with the unforgiving tarmac, she was instead met with two strong, large hands on her forearm and shoulder. With her eyes snapping widely open, surprise painted her features at the startling sight of her saviour.

He looked as surprised as she was, eyebrows raised up to his hairline for several seconds before steadying her on her feet and releasing her with a chuckle "Careful there, Sweetheart, BB is heavier than he looks".

Did he just-

A flurry of beeps hurried between her thoughts, the small white and orange BB droid arguing with the man who had managed to catch her fall. The droid was defending itself, hurt by the comment of its weight, a weird thing for a droid to do, but enough to snap the woman back to her senses. 

"I'm kidding BB8, promise you're perfect no matter how heavy you are to pick up, wouldn't change ya for the world buddy".

The furious blush on her face could have gathered for many reasons, from the embarrassment of the fall, or perhaps because she was caught by what seemed like a pilot, his orange flight-suit gave him away, or maybe it was simply because he was so damn handsome. Deep brown eyes pooling in golden shimmers from the way the setting sun caught them, endless curly messy dark hair she wondered what it might feel like to run her hands through, probably caused by a recent flight in his helmet, subtle stubble graced his chin and cheeks, and damn if that smile didn't lay anything in its path to waste she wasn't sure what did.

She was definitely staring, and she should probably say something because he was staring at her like he was expecting an answer.

"I-I'm so so sorry I-"

"Hey, Black Leader c'mon!" Another man's voice interrupted her rambled apology from behind the crowd around them.  
The apology, which only seemed to cause the curly haired man's smile to widen, before he chuckled and patted her shoulder. 

Was he laughing at her?!

"Sorry, gotta go, I'm a popular guy today" Without another word he gave her another wide grin and a wink that made her heart stop before weaving his way through the crowd, the droid hot on his heels. She hadn't even managed to apologise to the poor BB unit before he was gone either, maybe, hopefully, she'd stumble across the little guy again in the future. If he worked on base a lot with his pilot it meant she'd most definitely be assigned to repair any damages and run diagnostics on it in the future. 

Did that mean she'd also meet the handsome pilot again? Wishful thinking really, not that it would make a difference anyway.

Luckily the little incident, that felt like hours had passed but in reality only lasted seconds, had snapped the new mechanic out of her moment of panic. Focused anew she quickly spotted the top of the head of the dark skinned woman she'd heard speaking on the transport. Her wild hair standing out in the crowd enough for the young mechanic to see even with her small stature.

"Welcome to the Resistance new recruits, listen up from here on you'll be assigned to your sleeping quarters. You all start off the same, higher ranking officials, officers, commanders and such get their own room, but you have quite a way until you achieve any of that" A small round of chuckles and nods of agreement were given as the young woman joined the group near the back, hands clutching tight to the worn bag hung across her body. 

"Men are with me, woman please follow the Lieutenant here" the man who's name she hadn't managed to catch on the way over gestured to the woman standing beside him, hands clasped behind her back, a figure of authority and stature. "You will be assigned to a department by tomorrow, whoever your superior will be, will collect you at 0 seven hundred hours, so be up early and ready. Let's go". 

Without another word, the small group of new resistance members broke off into two factions to where they would be living from now on. Rooms were divided into either fours or two's, luckily for the blue eyed mechanic, she was picked to share a bunk with the taller woman from the ship who's named turned out to be Lizzy, or so she'd stated. The new girl suspected her name to be a shortening of some sort, but respected her wish nonetheless. 

Lizzy was friendly, chatty, and fit right into her role as a field medic. Her smile could probably brighten up any room and even spread a grin over a dying man's face. 

"So you're good with droids huh?" Lizzy had stated after they had started unpacking their small bags of belongings, mostly extra clothing, keepsakes and essentials. 

"You could say that..." It wasn't anything to be proud of really, a lot of people could fix up droids, right? She'd probably be more use to the resistance fixing ships or more complex things. But sadly, growing up somewhere where no one had taught her such a skill, or let her anywhere near a larger vessel to learn herself, the small young droid mechanic was simply reduced to fixing droids.

"Hey, I'm sure your skills will be needed around here. I don't even know how to change a fuse never mind fix up a droid" As much as the encouragement was meant to help, it only served to bring unease to the form now laid out on the top bunk.

"Well if you ever need help fixing a medical droid I guess I'm your girl", that was met with a laugh, Lizzy's hands coming up beside her head on the bunk as she stood to face her.

"I like the sound of that. My own personal medical droid mechanic, at my beck and call whenever I need her" the way her voice came out light and teasing made them both laugh a beat and grin, the weight of their responsibilities at the base of the Resistance forgotten momentarily.

"I'll hold you to that".


	2. Lens Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her first day on the job, and of course Dameron needed her help with something.

They had really meant it when they said to be up bright and early. As soon as her light blond hair, fading sadly out of a peachy dye, has been tied into two loose buns, the head mechanic had come knocking on her door. He was an older man, with broad shoulders, dark skin and brown hair, eying her warily as she zipped up the mustard yellow jumpsuit that had been left on her bed upon her arrival the previous evening the rest of the way.

"I'm assuming your roommate has already been picked up by the medical staff?" Came his first question, seeing as her room was empty besides herself, the answer was obvious.

"Y-Yes....Sir" That was what she was supposed to be calling him right? Shit, maybe he had a more formal title, was she being rude?!

"Come on then, we haven't got all day Kiddo, things to fix, places to be" Before she could argue with herself further, they were on their way towards the hanger within view of the outside landing strip where dozens of ships lined their line of sight. Even now so early in the morning it seemed ships were coming and going at a decent rate.

"You're our only new mechanic from the fresh batch of recruits and volunteers" The man just ahead of her speaks after a long moment of silence "I've been told you focus mainly on droids?".

"Yeah I-I um, I've also worked a bit on speeders and smaller things" She clarifies quickly, hoping to come across surer than she felt. It didn't help that her voice was stuttering on its own accord.

"That's fine, you'll be assigned to the droids on base. It's a job most experienced mechanics would rather avoid" He explains with a small thoughtful nod, one that made her wonder as to why anyone would avoid working on droids over anything else. Probably because working on ships, and import equipment was a task with better, more recognisable rewards.  
That and droids could be an acquired taste, depending on who you asked.

"This is the storage room, there's another smaller one in the back that has mostly spare parts. You'll be primarily working in here".

She peeks into the room, old, rusty parts lining large metal shelves threatening to spill over at any given moment. Parts for droids, vessels, trackers and all other kinds of technical equipment littering every square inch. The smaller room attached seemed only to house a small steel table, chair, and what looked like equipment or wrenches and other sorts. It wasn't tiny, just a little cramped with so much stuff.

"Smells..." She starts under her breath, not even registering the remark had slipped until the head mechanic let out a loud chuckle beside her.

"Like gasoline and bantha-shit I know, don't worry you get used to it" He had a sense of humour at least, enough to make her grin beside him and reply to the words with a bashful smile.

"Name's Lazslo, not Sir, makes me sound old" He seemed genuine enough, even if the introduction was late, it was welcomed with a nod.

"There's a build up of malfunctioning droids for you already" well wasn't that a delight to hear, "They're all yours once you've gotten yourself some breakfast, they'll probably take you all day to fix so once you're done just lock up after yourself" Lazslo explains while he plays with a bundle of wires rolled up on a shelf, making a face at their disorganised state. 

"Anything else scheduled will be written on that board over there so make sure you check it every morning" Gesturing to the old worn magnetic board by the door he made sure to see a nod in reply, before continuing with a step out of the room "Make sure you at least eat two meals a day, they're hard to miss, everyone usually goes around the same time, you'll hear the buzz around base when it's time for food".

Following him down the hall, Lazslo gestures to one of the X-Wings "Ignore the pilots, they're a rowdy bunch on quiet days, like to make a spectacle. We're here to get our job done and onto the next, no time for glory or chit chat got it?" As if she'd ever even imagine approaching a pilot, a hurried nod is followed, one that seemed to satisfy the talking head mechanic. 

"I'll show you to the dinning hall, if you get lost on your way back, ask anyone for directs everyone here understands it's easy to get lost at first" and knowing her luck, she'd probably be getting lost for a good while before figuring out the endless halls and rooms which all seemed to look exactly the same. How nice.

The dinning hall was big, big enough to hold most of the Resistance at once with long tables and chairs crowded with people who were already wolfing down their portion of what seemed like some sort of porridge and fruit. Even for breakfast it was loud, enough to put the droid mechanic on edge as she was left to her own devices. 

Knowing for a fact she'd feel more stressed sitting here eating alone, than while she worked in the storage unit, she hurried to collect a small bowl from the droid which served up the food, before scurrying off down the hall back the way she came. And it only took three wrong turns before the blond haired woman was back in the hanger, admiring the ships outside while she passed before getting onto the tasks for the day.

Missing lunch completely, and having only half finished her breakfast as it lay forgotten on the floor, the blond was far too focused on fixing the wiring which had come loose inside an old droid. It kept causing it to halt every few steps so she'd wrenched open a lower compartment at the back and set to finding the culprit wire. 

Only when a loud beeping sound came from behind her, did she look up again after what seemed like hours. 

It was the BB unit from the day before, happily chirping at her in greeting as it rolled to a stop by the door to the small back room she was occupying. 

"Hey there, it's you!" her throat felt dry and rough from having not spoken for so long, or drank anything since waking up, probably not the best idea to get dehydrated on the first day on the job.

"I didn't manage to apologise yesterday" The blonde raised her hand to wipe the back of it over her sweaty brow. Working so intensely on something had caused moisture to form on her face, oil and grease from the old droids accumulating to stain her fair skin a dull grey and brown on several places.

"I'm really sorry for walking- or rather, falling over you yesterday" Somehow it was always easier to talk to droids for her, they weren't like people. Droids were free of cruelty and bad intentions, they were programmed to do something and they did it to the best of their abilities, without judgement. Whereas people, people were capable of so much evil, so much hate and lies you never knew what they were thinking in relation to what they might say at any given moment.

Droids, droids were definitely easier.

Which meant when the pilot from the day previous, she guessed he was the droids master, cleared his throat from the doorway, the blond's eyes shot up in alarm. 

"Sorry to interrupt" his voice really was both rough and like honey all at once, again making the mechanic who was crouched on the floor, hold her breath. How was it that with no more than three words one man could cause her to short circuit so abruptly?! No person should have that power, yet here he stood, smirking down at her with crossed arms over a buttoned down flight suit. Was that his shirt that was so tightly clenched to the outline of his torso or was she hallucinating?

"I'm actually in a rush, BB8 here managed to crack his lens on our last flight mission, I was wondering if you could replace it by the time I'm back from my meeting with the General" Straight to the point, no sweet pet names this time. Much to her disappointment, her eyes quickly scanned over the droid in question. He was right, there was a crack right down the middle of his large circular lens she'd failed to spot. Poor thing.

"S-Sure, I...I mean of course!" That came out a little more enthusiastic than she'd intended to and held far too many stutters not to show how nervous she was around him all of a sudden. Great, what a great start.

"Great!"

Had he just read her mind?!

"I'll be back as soon as I'm done, I don't think I caught your name last time we bumped into each other?" Looking back up at his words the smaller mechanic gave a bashful shrug before hurrying to search for a new part for his droid while she tried to come up with an answer that didn't sound pathetic.

"N-No one really- Oh look we have a spare!" Cut off by her own joyful find, the perfect fit for the BB unit, she got to work without another thought of the pilot who had only given her a look she couldn't decipher before hurrying away again. 

It wasn't until she was done taking the broken part out that the blond looked up at the door again, mouth opening an closing as if to speak the words she'd forgotten to finish to the man who had now disappeared.

BB-8 reminded her of her task with a little beep in question before she shook her head free of its thoughts and continued on "Nothing, sorry, just hold still it'll click right into place" Giving an encouraging smile while the droid tipped its little head towards her, her hands gently pushed the new lens into place with a soft click. 

"See, perfect" Giving the rest of him a small polish with a clean rag, he looked as good as new and thanked her with a flurry of excited beeps and chirps while he rolled around in small circles. The sight made the mechanic giggle across from him, happy to have been able to help with such a small task and have such a happy response as a result. 

Whoever said droids didn't have feelings was the biggest liar in the galaxy.  
"You're very welcome".

It wasn't long until footsteps pulled her from her task again. Head halfway inside another, larger cleaning droid which had barely fit through the door, the mechanic was setting new bolts into place within the interior as the pilot gave a tap to her shoulder, resulting in a rather loud squeak, and bang resonating from within the machine.

"Shit, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you Kid, I'm just here to pick up BB".

Of course it was him again, and now she'd embarrassed herself again. Grumbling while she leaned herself out of the droid she was working on, she rubbed a painful throbbing spot at the top of her head which had collided with something hard. 

"S-Sorry, I was distracted, didn't hear you coming" why the hell was she apologising? Somehow it just seemed right at that moment, whenever the curly haired pilot seemed to be in her vicinity the blond mechanic had the habit of being clumsy.

"I'll accept the apology if you tell me your name, Miss No one" He was making fun of her with the smallest of shit eating grins it could almost be taken as a serious exchange. The humorous glint in his eyes told her otherwise however and the blond had to look away to hide the blush creeping across her face.

"I uh, I'm Sola..." A simple name, one she didn't want to attach to her family name at that moment, or perhaps ever in the Resistance. They were in her past, and she didn't need to bring them into her future.

"Sola huh, a pretty name, you have a last one to go with it?" Of course he had to ask, even while that stupid, adorable, lopsided grin hung from his face almost too close to comfort from how he was crouching down beside her and the droid she was working on.

"Not at the moment" Came a simple reply with a shrug, before Sola returned to the interior of the droid with a small breath. It felt safer in here, away from his direct, intense stare. Was she hiding? ....maybe.

She was glad he didn't push the matter any further, it probably wasn't unusual to come across people in the Resistance who'd left their old life behind them and operated under new, or incomplete names. In war, an identity was hard to come by.

"You look great buddy, yeah she did an amazing job!" He sounded so genuinely happy Sola couldn't help but peak around under her arms back at him as he addressed his chirping droid with the brightest grin she'd ever seen on a man, they really looked like a team. The mechanic could sense the strong bond the two had formed, something she hadn't seen all to often between a droid and its Master. 

About to protest the praise he'd absentmindedly thrown her way, another shout once again interrupted them from the hanger. A larger man with black hair and a small beard coming to wave the pilot over "General wants to see you". 

"Coming! See you later Sweetheart, thanks again for fixing him up".

Within an instant the blush was back full force, and the stiffest nod was all Sola could give in return before the chuckling pilot was gone again. 

Did he see her blush? She certainly hoped not, and suddenly the space within the droids compartment was getting overly hot again, enough to warrant her removing her head to take a few calming breaths outside in the air of the room before returning to finish the task.

Wait, she hadn't even been able to ask his name!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to anyone reading thus far! I again apologise for any mistakes and I'll be publishing more chapters in the coming days.


	3. Black Leader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little alcohol and a dash of bravery, until finally, the name of the mysterious pilot is revealed.

"Come on, it'll be a great night, we'll get to meet other people, new recruits like us, I heard even some of the pilots will be there to congratulate us for joining!" As much as Lizzy was trying to make the idea of going to the small gathering which was being held at base sound fun and exciting, it only seemed to fill Sola with dread.

It was meant to celebrate the new recruits and welcome them with booze and drinking games, a concept which on its own sounded genuinely nice and thoughtful. But the thought of being in a crowd of drunk strangers while she'd just finished working her first full day on base fixing up droid after droid until her hands were raw, that didn't sound as enticing as her excited bunkmate was trying to make it out to be.

Apparently, to the dark haired woman, her time in the medical wards had been amazing. Seeing all the high tech equipment and learning about how she'd be working on drills and first aid practices for when the time came in a real fight with the enemy, in her opinion, was the best thing ever. As happy as the smaller mechanic was for her new found friend, drinking right now was the last thing on her mind.

"I-I don't know, I'm really tired..." The change from 'no', to 'I don't know', was enough incentive for Lizzy to continue on, grasping the blond mechanics hands in her own and bouncing on her heels.

"We won't stay long okay, we'll have a couple of drinks, say hello, and then I'll walk you back to bed. Please?" 

Unable to say no to the puppy dog eyes the taller woman was now throwing down at her, Sola gave a small sigh of defeat before nodding "Fine okay, but you have to help me get ready, my hands are aching" It was a small compromise to make, and the joyous grin that appeared on Lizzy's face at the blond's surrender was reason enough for her to say yes to almost anything the woman would ask of Sola from now on.

It wasn't a large sort of party in anyway, a few boxes had been arranged in circles to sit, a table shuffled in filled to the brim with liquor, glasses and a few snacks the pilots had managed to smuggle in, and music was playing from atop one of the ships in the hanger. The outside was a clear view, the space opening up to the beautiful scenery of D'Qar and it's nature. It was a lot easier to breathe with such a huge open space, and suddenly the daunting task of being here wasn't so bad.

"See, told you it wouldn't be that big of a deal" Lizzy nudged her shoulder from her position on the mechanics right, giving a curt smile before they began to head to the table that held all the desired drinks. 

Sola had decided on a simple outfit, brown pants and a cream coloured buttoned up shirt which had been tied around her waist and hung slightly off one shoulder, simple, plain, neat and comfortable. Why bother slipping into a tight dress when you were just saying hello to new colleagues? 

Who she didn't expect to see while Lizzy was introducing them to someone who seemed a little too eager to sway into her personal space, was the pilot. 

Her Pilot. 

Her Pilot?! Since when was he-

"Hey Kid, I was wondering if I'd see you here" 

Shit

"I-I managed to finish fixing the last of the droids and um-" Kriff it was getting hard to breathe again now he was staring down at her, small drink in hand, taking a sip while he raised his eyebrow at the smaller blond.

"I'm not a Kid-"

"We're about to start the game unless you're sitting this one out?" Somehow they'd managed to pick up the habit of people interrupting their conversations it seemed. This time a woman slung her arm around the curly haired man's shoulders, swaying on her feet as she dragged him to her side "C'mon Black Leader, all talk, no game" She snorted, causing Sola to give a small smile at the challenge she was throwing the pilot.

Black Leader, that was the only name she'd heard anyone call him. It hinted at someone in a higher position of command as a pilot, a Commander maybe, was he a Commander of a squadron?! Shit she should've thought of that.

"Guess I'll see you around Sola" Her name from his perfect lips made her stop to stare at a spot on his shoulder to try and calm the beating of her heart, it wasn't the first time he'd said it. But the way it rolled so easily off his tongue all of a sudden made the air around Sola thick and heavy. 

"Sure, right, y-yes, Commander" It was a risk that paid off as he gave a curt bow that indicated the rank given wasn't incorrect, before following the tug on his arm the slurring woman was pulling on to get his attention.

"Oops, sorry, lost you for a moment there, that guy was getting handsy, definitely not my type. Who were you talking to?" Lizzy appeared at her side not a moment later, sipping on a drink and handing one off to Sola who took a cautious sip before giving a shrug,

"I ran- fell- stumbled into him yesterday by accident. I forgot to ask for his name, but I fixed up his droid this morning" Sola explained quietly over the rim of her cup, staring off into the direction the Commander had disappeared in through the crowd. 

"Well whoever he was he had a nice ass" She wasn't wrong.

By their fourth drink, Lizzy and Sola were swaying to the beat of the music, content with the pace and rhythm the foreign song was providing as the influence of alcohol buzzed through their bodies. Sola wasn't one for dancing, but Lizzy had easily led her into the small moves with their hands intertwined.

"See, it wasn't so bad, everyone's nervous on their first day" Easy to say from someone so outgoing, but the mechanic appreciated the words with a small smile, letting her loose hair fling behind her shoulders once more, it had a habit of getting in her way when she was moving a lot, usually while working.

"I think I'm gonna get some fresh air, I'll be right back" Lizzy didn't seem to mind the loss of her hands as she pulled away, giving a wave as she disappeared onto the dance floor away from the mechanic. She seemed in her element here, carefree, outgoing, it was nice to see her enjoy herself knowing tomorrow they'd both be back hard at work.

Fresh air in this instance meant Sola wandering further down the long hanger, along the row of X-Wings stationed just outside until she came across one that wasn't like the others. It was painted black with an orange stripe. Impressive, whoever owned it didn't shy away from attention, on the battlefield or otherwise.

Giving an impressed hum, the mechanic gave a glance around the space to make sure no one was watching before climbing on. Probably not the best idea while half intoxicated, but it seemed like a good idea at that moment. Even at her short height all she needed was a box, a jump, and a little strength to pull her up onto the wing. It smelled like metal and engine fuel, like home to someone to worked amongst the materials all day. 

A happy sigh escaped Sola as she lay back over the wing, legs dangling over the edge as she peered out into the sky, a hand absentmindedly stroking over the metal beside her hands. It was a beautiful ship actually, she was a little envious she didn't have a clue how to fly it.

"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to get in a pilots ship without permission" 

The silence was broken a few minutes after from a voice she recognised for the third time that day. Head raising Sola stared down at the pilot under her swinging feet. As much as his words startled her, he didn't seem angry, rather, amused.

"As long as he doesn't find out I think I'll be okay, I'm on the ship, not in the cockpit anyway" Sola replied bravely, alcohol had made it easier to speak even if her words came out a little slurred half way through. A small smile accompanied her words as she sat up properly to look at him.

"Do you even know who she belongs to?" An eyebrow raised at her curiously.

The answer was no, but she guessed and replied faster than her brain could stop to comprehend it "My guess is the poster guy everyone keeps talking about, Dameron- something..." Suddenly nervous he would run off and get her into trouble, Sola bit at her bottom lip nervously "You won't tell, will you?".

He seemed to catch on easily and shook his head, arms crossing as he looked out into the distance away from her "Nah, to be honest I doubt he'll mind you touching her" Her being the ship of course, but that wasn't what confused Sola initially.

"How do you know?" Tilting her head the mechanic pulled up her legs to cross under her, it felt rude having them hang so close to his handsome face, she didn't doubt she'd accidentally kick him out of sheer shock if he decided to smile at her again with that boyish grin of his.

"Because I'm him"

Her mouth hung open at that, this was him?! Dameron, Commander Dameron, Commander Poe Dameron, best pilot in the resistance?! 

She was sitting on his X-Wing, without permission, while he stood there, smirking?   
Smirking! He was smirking at her!

"Kriff, shit, fuck-" 

"Didn't know you had a mouth on you sweetheart, good to know" And now he was laughing at her, enough to shake his shoulders as his gaze fell on the panicking mechanic scrambling to get off his ship.

"I-I'm so sorry Commander Dameron, I-I had no idea I-" Rattling off apologies one after another only caused Poe to laugh harder below her, clutching a hand on his knee while he shook his head.

"It's alright, it's fine honestly it was just so funny teasing you, and you had no idea?! Amazing!" He continued to laugh loudly throughout his words, even as Sola, red faced and ashamed at her previous drunken bravery, fought her way off of the wing she was perched on, only to slip of course.

She'd been trying to lower herself onto her feet beside him slowly, but in her panic, not helped by the way he was staring at her though his bellowing laughter, of course the small mechanic ended up losing her grip on the ship.

"Wow there, I got'cha" Blue eyes met brown as Sola managed to pry them open upon discovering Commander Dameron had managed to catch her fall once again. Hands on her waist guided her down onto the floor slowly, the contact was strong and sure, warming her skin under the fabric and causing the tied shirt at her waist to rise up where his hands had managed to grab a hold of her before she would've inevitably painfully collided with the concrete at her feet.

"I meant what I said, I don't mind you hopping onto my ship Kid" She couldn't even reply, just stare dumbfounded and red faced up at him as he lowered her down and hovered close for several seconds too long to be considered normal before pulling his hands away and taking a step back to lean onto the side of his ship with a grin.

"Don't hurt yourself getting down though, that's the second time I've had to catch you sweetheart" Poe continued as if he was unfazed by her staring while Sola managed to snap herself out of it by clearing her throat and smoothing down the fabric of her shirt.

"R-Right, sorry, thank you...Commander Dameron" Now it felt wrong to call him anything else, manners, rank and formality and all that causing her to stumble into another apology which he cut off by raising his hand abruptly. 

"Poe's just fine, Kid" 

"Then don't call me Kid, I'm not that young" Sola replied quickly with a mumble, she didn't have the heart to tell him no to his other endearment of her, the word on her own tongue causing her heart to tighten in her chest. Maybe it didn't matter really, whatever he ended up calling her caused her heart rate to spike uncontrollably and the way he was looking at her so amused and interested in whatever she had to say at that moment. It was indescribable. 

"How old are you, you barely look twenty" He argued teasingly, pointing an accusing finger up and down Sola while she huffed and turned her burning face away. So what she had a youthful face, at least she wouldn't look old as she aged.

"I'm twenty five, old man" the tease slipped out before she could stop herself, a hand coming to clasp over her mouth in shock, Shit, was she allowed to tease a Commander?! Would she get fired?!

It only caused an amused chuckle from Poe, luckily, "I look that old huh, I barely hit my thirties" Sola wanted to scream at him and deny it, he looked older than her sure, but not by much, and honestly the stubble, smile lines and crooked grin on his face suited him beyond measure. She could probably take a guess and say he would even look sexy with grey hair.

"N-No I didn't mean you looked old- I mean you look older but not-...you look fine, good, great actually!" Could Lizzy just appear right now and drag her away please, or Lazslo, or anybody for that matter. Maybe the ground could swallow her whole instead and that way she'd never have to see Dameron again. The prospect was tantalising right now while he was looking at her with raised eyebrows and a hint of surprise.

She was going to get thrown out of the Resistance on her first day, for being smug, then teasing, and now flirting with a superior Commander without even having meant to.

"I look great?" he was messing with her, she could tell. Suddenly he was leaning in closer, an arm leaning on the ship beside her, raised above the space between their heads, his eyes heavy on her own as Sola shrunk into the space below him with a heavy gulp that stuck in her throat.

It was like those times at home, when guys joked about flirting with her only to laugh in her face at her awkwardness of it all and go off with woman much more beautiful and confident. They would toy with her for fun just to watch her splutter before growing bored and turning away like she'd lost her appeal. 

But Poe wasn't like that right?   
Sola couldn't really tell, she hadn't known him for long. Sure he'd caught her falls, called her cute pet names and smiled at her brighter than the sun. But who knew what he liked in a woman or a man for that matter, for all she knew he flirted with anything with a pulse and she was nothing special despite it all. 

She probably shouldn't be thinking so hard about this, he was only joking right? 

"Yeah I mean...you're the poster boy for the Resistance for a reason right?" She thought it was a smart move to play it cool, bring in another topic to discuss, get the heat off of her statement. It seemed to work even if she was disappointed he backed off again with a roll of his eyes.

"Sure, but that wasn't what I asked Sweetheart, I asked if you thought I looked great, not the Resistance marketing".

All of a sudden it was time to go, she had no more retorts left, the alcohol was starting to lose its affects and being alone with Poe Dameron, most handsome man in the Resistance in her eyes, was becoming increasingly difficult to fathom. 

"There you are Sola, I was looking everywhere for you!" Thank the force for Lizzy and her confident mouth.  
Turning her head towards the dark haired woman, Sola gave a stiff smile and waved back. 

"S-Sorry I uh, I was just admiring an X-Wing and got...distracted"

"Well, Hi, distracted, nice to meet you, I'm Lizzy, Sola's bunkmate" Lizzy gave Poe a small salute as he laughed at her observation,

"And you, I should be getting back to the party, keep an eye on this one for me will you, she likes falling into trouble" Poe replied giving the smaller mechanic a startling pat on the shoulder before he sauntered off into the direction of the noise and music once more.

Sola tried to give her friend a bewildered expression, but Lizzy seemed too drunk too care and simply threw an arm around her shoulder to drag them back to their assigned room "You didn't tell me that amazing ass belonged to Poe Dameron",

"I didn't know it belonged to him either until just now".


	4. Tables and Dents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Poe Dameron finds her under his ship, what's the first thought that comes to her head? Maybe knocking herself out in the side of his ship would be a good idea.

"So you and Poe Dameron huh?"

She just had to bring that up again, Lizzy hadn't been able to shut up about it since their first night at the small welcome party. It had been several days since then, and up until now it had only been a few teasing looks whenever they were together around anything or anyone that just slightly related to the famous pilot in anyway. 

An X-Wing? A raised eyebrow, another Pilot? A sly smirk, each time making Sola grow more red in the face than the next, until finally her bunkmate spoke the words she'd been dying to right to her face, across the table in the dinning hall one evening while they ate together. 

It wasn't often they schedules aligned enough for them to see each other throughout the day, so when it did occur, sitting together while they ate was a nice change. Even if it resulted in several heart attacks when Lizzy decided to tease her new mechanic friend again.

"Come on, its been days, and you haven't told me anything!" 

That was met with an eye roll while Sola scooped some more broth into her mouth "That's because there isn't anything to tell!" She argued under her breath, peering around to make sure no one was sitting close enough to hear them.

"That is a lie and you know it, there's no way you ran into the Poe Dameron on your first day on D'Qar land, and then again twice right after, on the same day!" Okay now that she was phrasing it that way, it did sound like something.

"It just happened, I don't know what you want me to say..." Not to mention each one of those times she had thoroughly embarrassed herself in front of Poe while he stood laughing at her, silently or otherwise. It wasn't exactly the best way to meet someone, especially someone so famous around the base.

"His droid is really cute, he's a orange and white BB unit, one of a kind" Sola added suddenly remembering what, or who, exactly had even enabled her and Dameron to meet by accident in the first place. She missed the little droid more than she cared to admit, his happy little beeps and energetic personality were endearing.

"And he isn't?" Lizzy interjected knowingly whilst lifting her spoon to point towards the blond across the table "You have a crush on him don't you, Dameron I mean, not the droid".

That got the mechanic to shut up real fast, shovelling more of the liquid in her bowl into her mouth to try and make up for the empty silence that followed between them. 

"HA! I knew it, you were a mess when I came to collect you that night, couldn't even tell him goodbye when he left" Lizzy sang triumphantly to her, making Sola raise her hand to try and wave at her to calm down.

"Not so loud! I admit okay, he's handsome, really handsome actually I don't think I've ever met someone so hot in my-" she started rambling only to be interrupted by Lizzy's snort,

"I get it I get it, the guys hot, stop drooling it's disgusting" She laughed at her blushing friend before going on, "I'm the same with basically any woman that walks past me, but keep it together will you".

It wasn't Sola's fault Poe Dameron was so damn pretty, and his smile warmed her insides, and the way he laughed made her skin crawl until nothing else around them in the world mattered anymore in that moment- ...she really did have it bad for the pilot, but then again who in the Resistance didn't? 

She wasn't special because of it, and she definitely wasn't his type.

"You should try talking to him more, in like, complete sentences I mean" Lizzy spoke again seeing the gears turning in her friends mind inspiring her to offer some advice to the struggling love struck idiot mechanic.

"I-I try to, every time he's around I get so nervous I can't breathe" Sola shot back after a beat, her voice dropping an octave as it wavered on the line to becoming a whisper.

"Hey" That made Lizzy stop her teasing, lifting her hand to reach across the table over her friends, "That's okay, I'm sure he understands sometimes people get nervous" She states with a hopeful smile "It can be kinda cute".

Sola could only reply with a doubtful look, the warm hand over her own still somehow giving her a comfort she appreciated immensely. When was the last time someone had held her hand like that, receiving comfort, warmth and kindness hadn't been something she had the pleasure of receiving for a long time now. 

It felt...nice.

"I don't think someone like Poe Dameron would be into that kind of thing" As soon as the words left her mouth, none other than the man of the hour himself decided to materialise into the space behind the blond droid mechanic and greet her with a chuckle over her shoulder.

Kriffing-, bantha-, nerf, shitting-!

The manic grin plastered over his face was the first thing in her sight as he slid himself into the seat beside her, still clad in his unbuttoned flight suit which had been tied around his hips to leave his upper body in an oil stained grey t-shirt. 

"Into what kind of thing?"

Great, amazing, fantastic. And he'd heard them talking, the icing on the cake.

"Sola will tell you, I'm on the night shift at the medical ward today, gotta go, see you around Dameron!" Just like that, Lizzy stood, gave the panicking Sola a sly wink, and bounced off with her tray like it was the easiest thing she'd ever done in her life. Abandoning her friend in their time of need that is. 

Turning his head expectantly to a stiff Sola seated beside him, Poe raised his eyebrow at her while he ate his own bowl of soup, picking at the small loaf of bread on his right while he waited with the smallest of grins. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, and he enjoyed doing it. 

Cocky little-

"I wasn't aware you knew me so well as to know what I'm into, Sweetheart" Staring into the bowl of food, or whatever was left of it, while he spoke. Sola didn't dare opening her mouth for a long minute. Not trusting herself to splutter all over herself in her state of distress. The poor girls heart was racing a hundred miles an hour trying to come up with some sort of lie to tell him which didn't result in him either becoming offended, more amused at her, or even worse, figure out she had developed a scolding crush on him. 

But maybe he knew that already, from how he was angling his head down towards her trying to catch her glazed over eyes with his own. 

"I-I didn't! I don't!" Sola managed to strangle out from her throat, only sparing him a glance that made her shuffle to readjust in her seat before taring her eyes away again, "We...we were talking about your X-Wing". 

Yes, perfect, a topic he couldn't tease her about, and something so far removed from her feelings a small sigh of relief left her lips before the mechanic continued, still avoiding his searching eyes.

"I said...I said I-I didn't think you'd be into a new paint job on it" 

"Black One? Oh no, I like her exactly the way she is, besides, I would need to give her a new name if I changed the colours".

She was sure that wasn't how it worked, but was too relieved he seemed to have accepted her lie to care much about the details. Simply giving a shrug and turning her head to smile at him before picking up the last of her loaf of bread to nibble on. 

It seemed too easy almost, to come out with it like that and have him accept her blatant panic lie without as much as a hesitant look. Either Poe had heard more than he let on, and let her off the hook, or she was becoming a better liar than she had thought and Poe was just that gullible. Sola wasn't sure which one of those options appealed to her more.

"Where-" About to ask where the rest of his squadron had vanished to, since they always happened to be around where their leader wandered off to, her unfinished question answered itself with the appearance of said members.

Wexley, Pava, and another pair she hadn't managed to pick the names up on yet, seated themselves beside and across from their Commander while they chatted and greeted him loudly.

"There you are Poe, we almost didn't see you, why the hell did you sprint away from the line like that?!" Snap Wexley, a tall, heavier built man, the one with black hair that had called Poe when he was picking up BB-8 after she had finished fixing his lens, questioned him from across the table.

It was hard enough to sit around Commander Dameron and his heavy attention when he was on his own beside Sola, but now his whole, loud, squadron had joined the table, the mechanic was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. It wasn't that they didn't seem like nice people, but meeting a large group of people that were already like a family to each other, for someone so insignificant and unworthy of sitting in their presence, they were heroes for forces sake, it wasn't something Sola was staying around long enough to bare. 

The noise in the hall was becoming loud again, almost as loud as the drumming in her ears that had caused her to sweat excessively in her seat.

"S-Sorry I'm gonna go, I have uh-" Poe gave her a puzzled look as she stood, stretching a hand out to place on her lower arm gently and halt her panicked stand.

"You don't have to leave Sweetheart, don't mind them, they're not as scary as they look" The rest of he pilots had decided to look up at her at that moment, a few smiles and waves accompanying their greetings before they went back to eating and chatting amongst each other, Snap continuing to watch the two interact silently for another second before turning to Jessika Pava.

"I...It's okay I have work to be getting on with anyway, nice to uh..." No one seemed to be paying attention to her besides Poe, the comforting rubbing of his thumb over her bare arm making her swallow before mumbling the rest of her sentence "Nice to meet you all...".

When he opened his mouth to retort something, probably something both sweet and funny to ease her nerves, Sola decided not to stick around to find out. It would be a waste of his breath, and his time to try once her brain started to spiral with anxiety the only option was to get out before she became even more of a mess.

What must the other pilots think of her now?! A stuttering, fool of a mechanic taking up their precious Commander's time with her nonsense, only good for fixing broken droids and falling over herself. She wouldn't blame them if they thought any of that, she thought it about herself more than anyone.

Hurrying out of the dinning hall after handing off her tray and bowl to be cleaned, Sola didn't look back at the table, and Commander, she'd left sitting. He didn't try to follow her either, which was good, even if it left a small pang of pain behind in her chest momentarily. 

On her way back to the mechanic's storage rooms, Sola came across a frantically beeping BB-8 who was tumbling down a hallway she'd gotten lost in. Her saving grace as it turned out, he was on his way towards the hanger which stood near the mechanics rooms too.

"What are you up to BB, anything exciting?" Sola enquired after they'd decided to join forces and make their way towards their destinations together. 

He beeped and chirped his answer proudly, "Oh, your cleaning up Poe's ship? That's nice of you". She wondered how dirty it must get when they were away on missions and assignments, was there dirt in space? Or did anything with an atmosphere make it dirtier? 

"What, me?" turning her gaze down at the BB unit which rolled up ahead guiding the way, Sola gave a soft chuckle "You want my help with that, but I've never worked on an X-Wing before, I don't even know if I'm allowed to touch one without training or supervision" The mechanic argued softly, as much as it seemed fun to tinker with one, she'd most likely end up damaging it in some way.

BB-8, sensing her unease, decided to explain further that she was only to smoothen out the dents and marks on the ship. Something which was pretty simple by all accounts, purely cosmetic, and basically the same on any surface made from the material the ships were made out of.

"Okay fine, but you have to supervise me okay? If I do anything wrong I want to know that you'll have my back BB" He seemed to agree with her on that, giving a small roll in her direction before entering the landing platforms with a flurry of beeps to indicate his satisfaction. 

It turned out, cleaning up an X-Wing wasn't so difficult. The hardest part was getting to all the areas she needed to reach. The machine was big after all, it had so much surface to clean it probably took them hours together. Any dents and scratches she came across, Sola managed to flatten out fairly easily. The mechanic was more surprised she hadn't seen anyone else around that had tried to stop her. A few other mechanics working silently a few ships down as BB-8 and her worked as a team to bring the black ship to a shine. 

Even if it was a little unnecessary, the blond mechanic had decided to shuffle her way underneath the ship to clean up the underbelly. It was just too tempting not to stay around the large machine for as long as possible, even if it was already pitch black outside and whatever droid she was supposed to have finished fixing up lay long forgotten.

"Buddy! Did you do this all by yourself?! She looks brand new!" Poe's deep voice rang through the hanger somewhere in the direction of her feet. BB-8 who was holding out another rag to her from beside the ship turning to roll up to him with a string of beeps as his Master bent down to pat his head as one might do with their pet.

"The mechanic helped? What mechanic-" 

That was her right?! She was the mechanic, maybe not the one he'd expected or hoped for, but there was no hiding under the ship now even as she prolonged it by as long as possible by saying impossibly silent and still from under Dameron's precious ship.

Would she get shouted at, told off for touching his ship again without permission, maybe Lazslo would punish her for going near a ship she had no experience with.

With one foul swoop, Poe had grabbed ahold of her ankles and pulled Sola out from under the ship, a wide grin falling over his features in recognition, as he stared down at her wide eyed expression.

"Well hello to you too Sweetheart, having fun down there?"

She swore BB-8 had planned this somehow, even if he had no idea of her feelings towards the pilot he called his master. Even if droids had no idea how feelings of the heart worked, she swore to the force and beyond, he'd set this up. Otherwise, who else could she blame for coming across Poe Dameron once again, twice in one day after having managed to avoid him for the last few days. 

Yet here he was, smirking down at her with the most confident body language she'd ever witnessed while she lay in her dust, oil covered jumpsuit, hair falling out of her low buns, several strands stuck to her forehead and cheeks from the rush of air over her face from the force of the pull Dameron had delivered dragging her out from under his ship.

"Yep...I actually kind of liked it down there....I uh..." Sola began, looking around anywhere but his deep brown eyes which studied her intently, knowingly.

"I think I'll go back, I didn't quite reach a spot" As soon as the words left her mouth, Sola rolled into her stomach and scrambled to get back under the ship at her head, only managing a few centimetres before Poe had a hold of her ankles again and pulled her towards him.

"I don't think so, you have some explaining to do" He sounded angry, was he angry?! Shit, she didn't want to turn around to find his grin gone and hate lacing his eyes, maybe she could just stand and knock herself out on the side of the ship to avoid answering him. It sounded like a good idea until Poe decided he had waited long enough and spun her around to face him by her shoulders.

Laying on her back peering up at him as he'd taken residence crouching down beside her, the Commander let out a small chuckle and shook his head "Why were you helping BB here, didn't you say you had droids to fix?".

He didn't look angry, much to her relief he looked amused. And far too close to her face in this position, yet she was helpless to move while his hands rested on her shoulders, keeping her to the floor as he leaned over her. 

"H-He asked me to, you....you can't expect me to turn him down" 

"Can't I?" He was kidding right?

"He's far too cute to turn down, Commander Damer-"

"Poe, I told you to call me Poe"

"W-With all due respect, Commander Dameron, it wasn't that hard of a task. I've cleaned up hundreds of droids and speeders, y-your X-Wing wasn't that different" She was hurrying her words to defend herself, ignoring the intense look he was giving her to focus on the BB unit which had rolled up beside them to beep in conformation and add that he'd been looking over her the entire time to make sure she didn't damage anything. A little angel he was.

"Oh, so now you're comparing my X-Wing to just any other rusty old speeder and droid?".

Shit, she hadn't meant to offend him, was it really that bad of a comparison, she really liked droids, and his ship for that matter.

"I'm kidding" Poe finally added with a laugh, releasing her and falling back to sit on his knees while he ran a hand through his hair and looked over his ship with a look that told her he was impressed.

"Thank you, for helping him, for cleaning my ship" He started, looking back down as Sola sat up and fumbled with the zipper on her clothing, "You didn't have to though, she was fine the way she was, she'll be dirty again by tomorrow" so that's why he didn't want her to help, as happy as he was, he thought it was a waste of time.

"I liked doing it" Sola offered quietly, looking back up again to meet his gaze from under her lashes "Cleaning the ship is...therapeutic, I've never been able to be so close to one like that" just being around it was rewarding in its own weird way. Such a powerful machine, laid bare for her eyes to examine while she cleaned away grime and revealed the strong colours beneath.

"Or did you do it to see me again?" Of course he'd tease her again, grinning down at her so wide his face threatened to split apart. 

Just like that she was back to being a red faced idiot, turning away to gather the rags and various polishes she'd used for the ship and scrambled to her feet "T-That's not, I didn't-I didn't know you'd even be in the hanger at this time in the night..." That was true, but it was also true she'd hung onto a small amount of hope she might catch a glimpse of his handsome face when he returned to inspect his ship for whatever reason. It wasn't that Sola craved his, or anyone's praise for her work, but it wouldn't hurt to see him smile because of it.

"Shouldn't you have finished up hours ago too?" He got her there, straightening himself up beside her with a stretch of his arms above his head that caused his shirt to ride up and expose the side of his hip bone.

Was it normal to be attracted to hip bones!?  
If they belonged to Poe Dameron it was.

"You shouldn't have stayed up so late on my behalf, or BB-8's for that matter" the mentioned droid bumped at Poe's leg in defiance before wheeling off with a small beep that made Sola hold back a giggle.

"I-I did it for myself more than anything, but it was no problem, regardless" It was nice seeing him relaxed and pleased because of something she'd done, even something so simple as cleaning his ship. Something other mechanics might have overlooked in favour of actually getting his ship checked, fixed, and ready for flight by his next departure. Anything cosmetic would be left last minute and was non-priority, rightly so. It made her wonder the last time Poe had seen his ship actually cleaned up properly and not full of dents and scrapes.

"Thank you, Sola" He answered after a moment of simply staring at her with what she could only describe as 'warm' eyes. Whatever that might have meant, it only caused her to smile back and warmed her chest until it was burning in her throat in a soft pleasant way.

"You're welcome, Dameron"

"It's Poe-"

As if she'd ever have the nerve for that.

"Commander Dameron".


	5. Gloves Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sola hated wearing gloves when she worked on her precious droids, and Dameron just happened to be there when she slipped up.

The days only managed to drag onwards the less Sola saw of Poe Dameron around the base. Of course he as a busy man, being the Commander of a squadron, someone who was reportedly close to General Organa herself, and the poster boy of the Resistance didn't exactly gift him with any extra free time. Nor did she believe she had the right to any of his time in general.

Rumours had reached Sola on his whereabouts after another week of droning work. Apparently he was on a secret mission, one only a hand full of people knew about. Which probably meant it was dangerous, something which only caused more unease to seep into the back of the mechanics mind while she worked on the fifth droid of the day. 

This one was so old it was basically falling apart in her hands. The poor lifeless thing was rusty and scraped beyond belief. But it was a task written on the magnetic board and thus, needed to be completed. A total rewriting and new circuit board needed to be carefully fitted, which wasn't the easiest task for someone who had worked non stop since breakfast and was now becoming dizzy and nauseous with hunger. She should probably take a break and at least grab dinner, but the idea of stopping now, when she was so close to bringing new life into the abandoned droid, it was unimaginable.

"You know it'll still be here once you get back" That was a new voice, softer, smaller, and one that made Sola jump like she usually did when focused intently on a task only to be interrupted unannounced.

"I....I know but he's already waited so long to be fixed" The blond sighed, looking up to be met with the form of a young woman, almost the same height as Sola herself. Black shoulder length hair tied in a small ponytail with what seemed to be...wire? Was she a mechanic too?

"But you can't finish fixing him to the best of your abilities until you're working at your best, which means eating" The young woman retorted with a small smile, she was right of course, Sola knew that, yet she couldn't stop her sore hands from working.

"I'm Rose, Rose Tico, you're new right?" Was the arrival of new mechanics to the Resistance base a rare occurrence or was someone talking about her? If they were, it couldn't be good things.

"Y-Yeah, I'm Sola, nice to meet you..." Hardly focusing on Rose now, the mechanic had set her goal to finishing up the rest of the internal wiring, twisting and turning until it sparked under her fingertips and she pulled away with a hiss of pain. 

"Shi-" 

She probably shouldn't swear or curse in front of someone she had just met, good first impressions and all that.

Biting her lip to keep in the curse, she wrung her hand out in the air with a groan that caused Rose to giggle from the doorway.

"Told you, c'mon dinners waiting, I think they're serving actual meat today" as enticing as that sounded Sola had to question it,

"What kind of meat?"

That caused a shrug from Rose before she turned to walk away "Don't know, but after the month of broth and soup we've had I can't wait, you coming?"

Whatever the meat was, it was tough. The taste was good enough, but by the time Sola managed to swallow even a little piece of it her jaw was beginning to ache and she wished they'd boiled it instead. 

"It's not often the base manages to get their hand on a shipload of real meat like this" Rose explained from her left, happily chewing her own portion like it was nothing. 

Did the woman have the jaw strength of a wampa?!

"I don't mind the soups they've served so far..." Was all Sola replied to that, she kind of liked soup. It was a meal she was used to when growing up, easy to make in a multitude of ways, you couldn't really go wrong with it as long as it was seasoned correctly.

"How are the droids treating you so far? Lazslo said you're doing a decent job, he hasn't seen so many fixed droids since we moved onto the base, and he's not one to give out praise so easily, I'd know" Well that was good to hear at least. Rose's words calming the former anxiety Sola possessed of what, if anyone, had been saying about her. 

"My hands hurt, I don't like to wear gloves when I work, and I smell horrible at the end of the day, but besides that it's fine" Sola shrugged, glancing down at the stains on her mustard coloured jumpsuit in emphasis. 

Rose only laughed and nodded in understanding, taking another bite of her slice of meat without a care in the world of how it would take decades to chew, "It does smell in that storage unit, I'm glad I don't work there anymore. I'm doing maintenance at the moment, I work with my sister's ship a lot, luckily"

"Your sister?" That peeked her interest, eyes turning towards Rose who seemed to speak while in a daze.

"Yeah, her name's Paige, you should meet her, she's a bit like you. Works as a gunner and pilot with the bombers" Another pilot, somehow Sola had seen enough of them to last her a lifetime since landing on the D'Qar base. But with the way Rose was describing her so passionately, maybe one more wouldn't hurt.

"Maybe..."

"Do you have any family?"

Maker, she just had to ask. As much as Rose seemed like the loveliest girl on base, the question was one Sola didn't want to delve too deeply into. A sensitive topic one might call it.

"I have...had...a little sister, but, I don't know if she's still alive" Sola mumbled under her breath, secretly hoping Rose didn't pick up on the words even if they were meant as an answer.

"I'm sure wherever she is, she's thinking of you too" the twitch of a smile on Sola's lips was small, but enough to make Rose's own grow wider as a result. She knew what the other meant, and the sentiment was a thoughtful one.

"Do you know where the black squadron is away to, o-or, I mean, when they'll be back?" 

Way to be obvious she was asking about Poe, of course everyone in the Resistance and their mother was asking about Poe Dameron, he was a walking neon sign that screamed 'ASK ABOUT ME'.

"Paige said it was something important, I think they'll back soon, they always come back, I wouldn't worry" Rose seemed like the type of girl to know what to say and when to say it. It was getting easy to tell the fellow mechanic was working on passion and drive very few could match. 

With that simple answer alone, Sola felt the need to tell herself to calm down and take a breath, of course they'd be back. He would be back. He was Poe fucking Dameron, best pilot in the Resistance, closest person to the General, and if luck wasn't his right hand man then she didn't know who was.

After a few days of lunches or dinners with Rose, even Lizzy joining the two when she was able to, they had grown closer. Sharing the same responsibilities on base, although it turned out Rose had a lot more variety in her job than Sola did. Had made it easier to talk and meet each other for meals. Though usually, Rose ended up doing most of the talking while Sola smiled gently and nodded along to her stories. She was a sweet, passionate, kind girl, something to aspire to.

Commander Dameron and his squadron eventually managed to make it back to base almost unharmed. Though their ships were pretty banged up, and a few pilots had visited the medical facilities. 

Sola was relieved to hear they were alive and well that evening. Still with a few hours of work to go, dinner was skipped again that day. 

She hadn't seen Rose that week, and Lizzy only in the evenings before they both fell asleep from exhaustion. 

Slipping up the cursed old screwdriver so that it missed the designated destination completely, Sola let out a loud curse as the sharp end collided with her right hand and dug into the palm which had been holding open a section of the droid she was working on. "Stupid-" She didn't finish, the blood which had began pooling from the small cut causing her to shake her head and try to find a decently clean piece of cloth to cover it.

It bled more than it stung, which wouldn't be such a problem for most people. Sadly, unluckily for Sola, she wasn't the best at handling blood. As soon as the crimson liquid appeared in her sight, the mechanic was beginning to feel faint. Something which wasn't helped by the fact she'd skipped two meals for the third day in a row.

"Well if it isn't my favourite droid Mechanic, just who I needed to see" 

Of kriffing course, Commander Poe Dameron just had to come sauntering into the room the second Sola had sliced her hand open. Perfect. 

Did he not have more important places to be?!

Closing her eyes for the briefest of seconds, the blond turned her head in his direction. One hand clasped tightly around her injured hand as she tried to hide it behind the droid she was working on. It was the only thing in between her and Poe which hid everything below her shoulders from his sight.

"Commander D-Dameron, good to see you back in one piece..." 

"What's wrong you look pale, miss me that much sweetheart?" 

Shit, pale?! 

Not a good sign, definitely not a good sign. She needed to lie down, preferably somewhere cool, and somewhere Poe wasn't around to make her whole body light up in a blazing fire that managed to make the tips of her ears to turn the brightest red known to mankind.

"N...No I-..." Shaking her head again, the mechanic rocked from side to side without meaning to. Her head was beginning to lose its weight and her hand was suddenly hot and heavy clasped under the reddening cloth.

"Hey! Wow, what's wrong, what happened?!" Just like that the cocky flyboy attitude was dropped in favour of a concerned, caring man who was rushing to her side to steady her back with his large palm.

"Did you hurt yourself?!" Sola couldn't answer, looking down at her hand with a small nod until he caught on and took her hands into his own. 

Was it his hands that were making her feel this warm, or the unnecessary reaction her body was having from such a minor flesh wound? She'd never really know.

"Let me see..." Not that she could stop him even if she wanted to. Poe unraveled the cloth from her injured hand gently, peeling away the moist material to reveal the cut which had luckily stopped oozing its warm contents. Still, the sight of the pool in her palm and stain on the rag was enough to send her spiriting further into his hand and arm on her back.

Dameron was a smart man, gouging from her extreme reaction he held a steady pressure on her upper back to keep the swaying mechanic upright before covering her wound again and speaking in a lower, soothing tone to try and calm her.

"C'mon now keep your eyes open you're okay, nothing a little bandaid won't fix" Since when was his voice so soothing and soft, she swore the last time she heard it, it was rough and gravely. But now, so close to her ear, suddenly it was like a melody made to rock her to sleep.

"BB-8, buddy, go grab a first aid kit from the hanger, yes she'll be fine don't worry"  
Sola could hardly grasp ahold of the conversation happening around her while she tried not to faint into Poe's arms like some silly dramatic teenager. 

She just couldn't help getting dizzy at the sight of blood, it was an uncontrollable response, one she felt stupid for having.

"Look at me, you're gonna be fine okay?"

Look at him, right now?! Like this?! 

The world was spinning and so was his face when he gently turned her head towards him with his free hand, a soft finger under her chin was all it took. He seemed to be scanning her face for something, once he found it he smiled at her again and gave Sola that famous Dameron smirk that made her heart flutter and brought back her senses momentarily.

"S...Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Don't apologise Sweetheart, Sola, I know"

Well thank the Force he understood, the way his eyes gleamed with kindness and patience, it told her enough to stop talking and lean into his side with a shuddering breath. 

He smelled like motor-oil, earth and something she couldn't quite name. 

Poe Dameron smelled like what she would imagine some form of Heaven to smell like. 

"There we go, just keep looking at me I'll get it wrapped up" She hadn't even realised her eyes had shut until Poe spoke up again, his words rumbling through his chest making her unfocused eyes search for his face. Somehow, looking at his face while he sent her a wink before getting to work wrapping up her throbbing hand didn't help calm her nerves much.

Quite the opposite, her heart was racing again, and suddenly the proximity to the pilot was starting to daunt on Sola. He was right there, inches away from her face stood his exposed neck and shoulder. He'd leaned her against him fully so that he could work on her injured hand with his own, wrapping it tightly after applying some sort of medical ointment that sterilised the wound most likely. 

Poe's hands were firm but gentle, trying not to cause her anymore pain than necessary while he tied up and stuck down the end of the bandage at the back of her hand.

All the while Sola had just been...staring.. Open mouthed, half lidded eyes, full focused, staring at the Commander while he tended to her like a worried grandmother might do to their sick grandchild. 

Did she feel pathetic right now? Yes, yes she did.

"See, all done, and you didn't even need any stitches, thanks BB" The droid who'd brought them the small first aid kit gave a happy chirp in reply before wheeling around to bump into the mechanic's side in greeting. 

She weakly smiled in return and lifted her uninjured hand to pat the top of its dome shaped little head in thanks. 

"What happened...?" Sola began, addressing Poe after he'd sat her up again and she managed regain some sense of control over her body.

The curly haired pilot only gave her a confused look before she continued,  
"Your shoulder, y-you look like you're hurt" While she had been staring at his bare shoulder and neck at the closeness they'd just momentarily shared, the mechanic had picked up on the small bruises and scrapes across his skin. Hidden partially by his unbuttoned orange flight-suit, they were still prominent and looked new.

"Oh, that?" Poe shrugged off her concern while he sat back to lean against the wall at their side, a dirty hand, stained slightly by her dried blood, running through his disheveled messy hair. Fresh out of his helmet it seemed.

Why did he look so good doing that.

"It's nothing, we ran into the biggest egg you could imagine" 

"An...egg...?"

He laughed at her doubtful look and nodded with a grin "Big sacred thing, bigger than two X-Wings combined, kinda cool actually" 

Sola grimaced, imagining such a thing making her both uneasy and smile from the absurdity at the same time. If he was alive that meant whatever had happened, they'd managed to get out of at least.

"You should get those looked at" The mechanic blew a stray strand of blond hair from her face, her body finally having returned to its normal temperature without her needing to pass out first. That was a nice change.

"You're more hurt than me" This time it was time for both of them to laugh gently, Poe shuffling one of his legs up so he could drape his elbow across it and lean over slightly.

"No shame in having a weakness, I'm the same with bones and skeletons, hate em with a passion" The pilot winked only to make Sola roll her eyes and try to force down the giggle which had worked its way up into her mouth. 

Don't laugh at Poe Dameron, he'll only become more smug, or in this case, maybe offended since he was opening up about an irrational fear of his own.

"I...I'm serious though, please, go see someone about your injuries, they can't be comfortable" As much of a hypocrite as she might be right now, after having just been bandaged up by the man, Sola was still worried. He looked uncomfortable leaning against the wall. He was avoiding putting his full weight on his back and seemed to wince slightly anytime he moved his shoulders. 

"I was supposed to have a debriefing with the General..." His brown eyes fell to BB-8 who, somehow, knew exactly what Poe wanted from him and responded with a beep to indicate what time it was. Ten o'clock at night apparently.

"Twenty minutes ago, I should probably go to that first".

That resulted in a frown from Sola. As much as it was important to tell the General about the results of his mission, surely his wellbeing would be of priority right now, "But-"

"Don't look so offended Sweetheart, I'll be fine, nothing some bacta-patches won't fix" He was right of course, yet she couldn't help but to turn her head away to hide the faint blush once again dusting her cheeks of his endearment.

Did he have to keep calling her that?! 

"You know, you'd get injured a lot less if you wore gloves while you're working" it wasn't the first nor last time she'd heard that comment. Lazslo had told her just this morning that working on machinery without gloves was risky business.

"I know, I just...don't like wearing them. They make my hands all sweaty and they're restricting" Poe gave an amused hum in response, surveying the room like he was seeing it properly for the first time.

"I'd rather feel the machinery under my fingers..." 

"Guess you'll just need to be more careful, I can't be your knight in shining armour every time you hurt yourself" There he was again, grinning at her while she smiled back and gave a sarcastic eye roll before picking up the screwdriver she'd dropped earlier, wiping it down before going to continue her work.

Her stomach decided then, to pipe up not a moment later, with a loud growl that told the whole room she hadn't eaten in at least twelve hours. Nice.

"You-"

"I know, I know I'm going" Deciding it was useless to argue with Poe while he seemed to be in a mothering sort of mood, Sola stood onto unsure feet with a sigh. Patting herself down and stretching her legs to regain the feeling in them before she quietly offered her hand down to the seated Commander. Almost as if she was unsure, which she was.

Was she allowed to touch him? It was only a helping hand, and he'd allowed himself to touch her shoulder and arm on several occasions before. But was a lowly mechanic allowed to-

Poe took her hand with a grin, dispelling her internal debate by hoisting himself up with a small pained grunt before rolling back his shoulder blades a couple of times to ease their tension. 

"I'll meet you for food then after I'm done with my debrief, the kitchen will be shut at this time but they always leave out leftovers for people working the nightshift".

Sola hadn't even thought of the possibility of the kitchen being shut at this time of the night. The Mechanic had worked late and missed many meals sure, but she'd never actually entered the large dinning hall after meal hours. It made sense from what he was saying, there had to be people coming and going at unusual times around the base, and they couldn't keep making fresh food twenty four hours a day. 

"M...meet...me?" Was he saying what she thought he was saying. Poe Dameron was going to join her for dinner?! 

Surely his other pilots would be there too, and all of a sudden the idea didn't seem as appealing as it did for the first two seconds. 

Maybe she could run away, hide in the forest on D'Qar and pretend she'd gotten lost. Then again someone might get worried, Lizzy or Poe could call for help to find her. That sounded like more trouble than it was worth. Perhaps opening the wound on her hand again, by complete accident of course, and taking a trip to the medical ward for a while was the answer-

"Don't sweat it, I think the rest of my squadron will be passed out in their bunks by now"

He could definitely read minds. Maybe Dameron was a force user? Was that how the force worked?!

"Right..." Was all Sola was able to respond to that, looking at him now, at his full height beside her once more. She realised he was a good three or four inches taller than her. She had to crane her neck at an angle to fully see his tanned face, and she was sure if she took a step closer her forehead and face would bump into his collarbone and underside of his chin. 

She definitely shouldn't be thinking of that right now, he was staring at her again like he was waiting for something.

"I-I'll see you there Commander"

"Poe" The handsome pilot corrected sternly but smiling all the while before leaving the room, his astromerch following with a content beep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to anyone who has read, left kudos, or commented so far! I really appreciate it and I'm excited to keep writing and publishing more!


	6. Surperiors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An encounter with a supervisor doesn't go too well. Luckily having friends at her side seems to be her saving grace.
> 
> (Warning, please be aware there are: Mentions/Descriptions of sexual assault in this chapter, so if you are sensitive to those topics or they are triggering in anyway I suggest you skip this chapter, you won't miss anything too important besides a tender moment between Poe and Sola)

"Lazslo said I'd find you here" 

Was it common knowledge by now that Sola could be found nowhere else but the grubby little storage room by the hangers and landing strip? Apparently so.

While she was putting her equipment away to head to the mess-hall to meet Dameron, someone else had managed to find her first. Someone she'd only met twice before and didn't have the best of gut feelings about.

He was a superior who worked under Lazslo, and above her. A supervisor for the maintenance and mechanic sectors of the base that did more looking and watching, than any real work. But that was just her opinion.

"Cas- Sir" Sola turned towards him slowly, prolonging the inevitable glance she would have to direct at his face out of pure politeness. 

He seemed satisfied as he strolled into the larger room she had just made her way into, the mechanical door sliding shut behind him with a small click. 

Had he locked it behind him? That had to be by accident right?

"I-I didn't know supervisors were up this late..." 

"They aren't, usually" He was playing with a pile of old engine parts on a shelf while he spoke, his eyes were on the parts but his mind was clearly on her. It was unnerving to say the least. 

Last time Sola had met him was when he walked in on her to observe her work on running diagnostics on a R2 unit which hadn't responded to any prodding. They'd run out of ideas on how to power it up and were giving her a chance to give it a try. 

Unsuccessfully...sadly. 

But Cas had decided to sit in the whole two hours, leaning over her shoulder, pointing out her mistakes, and laughing disgustingly into her ear she swore she felt spit hit her skin on several occasions.

The man didn't know what personal space was, and if he did, he didn't care. Cas was a tall man, pale with hair so light you could almost see his scalp through it. The only positive thing she could say about him is that he was observant and knew more about machinery then Sola did, even if he used that knowledge to hold it over others.

"Can I...help you with anything, Sir?" Was he looking for something, or just hanging around to waste her time? She doubted she could offer him much, he would get better help from a more experienced mechanic. Even if most of them were asleep now, a few were always around on nightshift to repair anything that might unexpectedly malfunction.

"Yes, actually" She hated the slimy smile on his face, it made her gut wrench in an uncomfortable way and sent the hairs at the back of her neck upwards. 

Maybe it was unfair to judge someone when she'd only met them twice thus far. But the unease that came with a guy who decided standing in front of the door by the shelves was the right thing to do, when there was no other exit for her to take out of the two connected rooms, was undeniable. 

Sola swallowed and held her injured hand without even registering she'd done it until he commented on it with a raised eyebrow and a step towards her that made her take one step back.

"You hurt? Lemme see-"

"I-I'm fine, just a scratch"

Another step in her direction made her back up with an uneasy smile that was supposed to play off her discomfort in his presence. 

"I still want to see just in case-" this time she shook her head and hid her hand behind her back before Cas could reach out and grab it.

"It's fine, what did...what did you need help with...?" His eyes fell on her face again, her wrapped up hand momentarily forgotten while a small smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth anew.

"Well..." By the time he'd taken another step, his legs much longer than her own, Sola's back had hit the cold wall beside the door which lead to the back room. There were no more steps to take in retreat, and none forward towards the door he was still blocking with his body.

"I heard you and Dameron were getting close" 

Close? Physically, a couple of times by accident sure, but emotionally? Sola was sure Poe was closer to a lot of other people than he was to her. They'd barely shared a full conversation.

But that was besides the point, who in forces sake, had been talking about her now. Was Lazslo spreading rumours about her now!? She doubted that, he respected his work, and her, too much to care about such trivial things. 

Maybe one of Poe's pilots...Snap had seen them together twice now, but even then she could only conclude any comments made about her and Poe were most likely done to tease him.   
She'd probably laugh at whoever had the unfortunate time to spend with her too.

"Not....n-not really we-"

He cut her off with a short laugh, his right hand resting on the wall by her head, "I was wondering if you sleep with anyone who was your superior, or if it was just him" It sounded more like a statement than a question.

Cas was insinuating something Sola did not like, and quickly the nervous smile on her face turned into a strong frown. Eyes snapping up to meet his face as it hovered over her like a looming shadow. Even if she wanted to avoid his face, he'd see her even if she turned away now.

"I...I'm not sure what you mean, Sir"

Whatever Snap had said in the company of his squadron was most likely lighthearted and held no such undertones. She doubted Snap was that kind of guy from the times she'd spent in his company. If Poe trusted him, so did she. But whatever had been said, it seemed Cas had taken it upon himself to twist in his mind to mean something it definitely did not.

"Sure you do, Honey" 

Okay that was disgusting, and his breath smelled like the underside of-

"I'm sure I don't..."

No one could call her a sweet pet name except Poe Dameron, at least up until now. 

"You're always so quiet, I didn't think you'd be one to sleep with your superiors to get to the top"   
Sola's eyes widened in shock at his words. As much as she didn't judge others for their business in terms of what they did with their bodies, to be accused of something she didn't even think about doing in her dreams, besides with a certain pilot Commander perhaps, was appalling. 

"I won't say anything to the General if you don't" Would the General believe her if she objected to whatever Cas would say to her? 

General Organa was a stern, kind woman from what Sola had heard of her. As much as she trusted her to run the Resistance, somehow fighting a superior officer on matters as sensitive as these was not something she could imagine herself doing. 

But what were the alternatives here?! Did she even have a choice?!   
He was blocking her way out and was now so close she felt his breath fanning across her face, it made her want to throw up.

"I-I don't-"

The mechanics voice was so quiet now she hardly heard the words herself. Her heart was hammering against her chest in sheer panic while her eyes scanned across the room for a way out, any way out. 

Cas didn't give her the opportunity and seemed only to revel in her distress while an uninvited hand began making its way up her hip to the crook of her neck, "Don't worry Honey, just let me have some fun and I'll handle it".

Handle what, the panic attack threatening to spill over from her insides?!

As soon as his long boney little fingers had ghosted across her skin Sola was breathing heavier and shorter than she thought was possible. She wanted so bad to kick him where it hurt most and storm out, but she felt rooted into place. A deer caught in the headlights of a racing car that didn't feel the need to posses any breaks.

All she could do was focus on the way he was looking at her. A dark hunger in his eyes she'd never seen on someone's face before.   
It scared her. Was she shaking?

"Shhhh" Cas didn't care even if he did notice. The hand on the wall had found and yanked her hair back by the ponytail she wore, and the other was sitting possessively on her lower arm. The one that was injured. 

Even when she tried to move his hand and push him off, he simply chuckled against her neck where his mouth now hovered and grabbed a hold of the wrapped hand to squeeze into her injured palm hard enough to make her wince in pain. 

"It's easier for both of us if you didn't do that" His voice had dropped to a dangerous degree one might perceive those words as a threat. 

All the smaller blond could do was gulp, her eyes squeezing shut to try and erase the sight of him so close to her from her mind. Cas didn't give her that luxury and reminded her when his lips connected with her neck. Kissing her skin harshly and without care. He wasn't going to stop.

"P-Please, please don't-"

"Relax, Honey" The wound on her hand throbbed again, she was sure he'd reopened it with how roughly he was now pinning it to the wall, and even her free hand wasn't strong enough to push him off by his shoulder when he pinned the rest of her to the wall with a dark chuckle.

Her skin was burning uncomfortably and she wanted nothing more than to be out of it. Tare off every inch he was kissing. By the time he was leaning up towards her face to kiss her quivering mouth, tears had began to form in her eyes. Spilling over in thick, burning droplets.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Cas" 

Just like that her body was released and she slumped to the floor with a breath. Blue eyes flew open to witness Poe dragging him out of the room whilst Lizzy rushed to the young mechanics side and crouch down to embrace her. 

Sola had never heard Poe curse like that before, but somehow his words were the most satisfying thing she'd heard in years. The pure disgust and wrath in his voice was as much his as it was a part of her. Rather, what she wished she could have said if she'd had the strength to.

"Hey, Sola, look at me, you're okay" Lizzy was speaking to her but she didn't quite catch all her words. The medic's mouth was moving but whatever came after, Sola didn't know. Her body was heaving herself into a panic attack now she had found a moment to breathe and comprehend what had just happened. All Lizzy could do was pull her into a gentle hug and rock her back and fourth, a comforting hand circling between her shoulder blades.

"It's okay, you're okay, he's gone. Breathe with me" Lizzy was petting her friends head gently as she spoke, soothingly and calmly. Sola couldn't have asked for a better friend in the entire Galaxy.

"Good, you're okay, I need to go there's an emergency in the medical bay but Poe will stay here okay?" Breathing in time with Lizzy had calmed the panic in her veins enough for her to listen properly. Nodding in response as she was released from the gentle hold on her body. 

"You're okay, I'll see you in our room and will take care of your hand, alright?" Another nod before Lizzy kissed the blond's forehead and stepped away, the dark skinned girl was more observant than she let on.   
"I kicked him in the family jewels for you" She didn't even see that, but thank the Maker, Cas had deserved it.

"He won't hurt you again Sola" Poe was beside her as soon as Lizzy left the room. Taking her hands in his own while Sola tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling. She didn't want to look at him right now. The mechanic couldn't take it, if she saw the disappointment or anger in his eyes she worried she might start crying again.

"Hey, look at me. Sweetheart, it's okay"

Was she already crying? 

Sola felt her cheeks sting when Poe raised his hands to her face slowly and used his thumbs to rub the tears from under her eyes.

Wincing only for a second as the contact reminded her of someone else's she'd rather not remember at that moment. The droid mechanic's eyes dropped down to meet Poe's own deep stare. He looked worried.

"I'm fine" 

Obviously a lie, they both knew it, but Sola just wanted him to smile at her again like he always did. The worried frown that made the space between his thick eyebrows crease didn't suit him at all. 

"You will be, I'll make sure of it"

"Why, how did you-"

She didn't have time to question him as to why he went to look for her, why he even cared. 

Did he care? 

The Commander would probably do this for anyone on base, she wasn't special because of it. Somehow, right now, that was okay.

"Lizzy was looking for you, said it was weird you weren't in bed yet or contacted her to say you'd be late. She got worried" Poe explained knowing already what she had begun to question. 

"She saw Cas walk into the room and lock it with you inside and rushed me over to unlock the door. Only certain people have access to the storage rooms, me being one of them. She practically dragged me from outside the General's office" He laughed which in turn made Sola smile with him. The grin suited him much better. She could imagine Lizzy taring his arm off to get him here, thank the Force she had. 

If Poe hadn't unlocked the door and dragged Cas away she didn't know what might've-

A strangled choke made the smile on her face falter as she imagined what Cas was capable of. Again, a tear found its way onto Poe's waiting fingers still hovering on her face.

"C'mere, you'll be okay, don't think about him sweetheart" Just like that, Poe kriffing Dameron pulled her into his warm arms and hugged her tightly against his chest while Sola heaved silent sobs against the material of his flight-suit. Uninjured hand clutching into the cloth for dear life, as if he'd vanish from beneath her fingertips if she let go. He still hadn't managed to find the time to remove it and change since his return to base, it still smelled like the inside of his ship, like him. And right now, it was the most comforting smell she'd ever had the pleasure of being around.

Sola didn't want to move from this spot for the rest of her life.

"He's gonna wish he never stepped foot on D'Qar once me and the General are done with him, I promise" 

"Thank you, Poe"

She didn't doubt him.


	7. Throwing Punches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe decides to be a cocky teacher and distract Sola from learning how to defend herself. What else could she expect really.

"Can you teach me how to fight, h-how to defend myself?" It was a risky, selfish request to make in Sola's opinion. It would take up Lizzy's already small pool of free time to teach her.

Still, it felt right to ask her, "You're a trained field medic right, do you guys get basic fighting training too?" It had only been an assumption up until that point, but once Lizzy turned to look and nod at her from across the table they were eating at, at the back of the room, it was clear she'd been correct.

"Why do you want to learn that, I...I mean I know why but" The incident the day prior was still fresh in both of their minds. Of course Lizzy understood, self defence was an unfortunate necessity in the universe, especially for woman, especially for woman in the Resistance who were part of a building war. 

"You know you shouldn't have to, you're a mechanic Sola, you-" The medic was trying to be genuinely helpful when she spoke, Sola knew what she was hinting at. That the sheer need to know these things was a ridiculous concept for someone who worked on machinery all day, even if she knew exactly why she wanted to learn such skills. A sad reality of their time.

"I know...but please, I'd feel a lot better" The blond tilted her head down at her with a small smile which she hoped conveyed her understanding. Lizzy picked up on it easily and sighed with a smile of her own.

"Of course I will, but I only know the basics, you'd be a lot better off learning from an actual soldier" The brunette confessed after taking a small bite of her breakfast. Sola didn't have the bravery to even guess what was in their bowls that day, she'd rather eat and not think about it.

"You could ask Poe-"

Sola choked on her food and spat it back into her bowl with wide eyes, it resulted in a loud obnoxious laugh from Lizzy. 

"I'm n-not asking Commander Dameron!" 

"You still call him that?" 

Lizzy was teasing her again with a sly smirk that caused the mechanic to avoid her eyes to try and deny whatever would follow. 

"Yes, I mean, that is his name, it's the right thing to do..." Sola's reason was a weak one but she stuck to it. Manners. Respect, was the reason. 

"He told me he prefers when people call him Poe, makes him feel more like an actual person, rather than a symbol of the Resistance" That made Sola's eyes bolt up in surprise.   
They'd spoken?

"He said that?" 

Lizzy knew that would catch the mechanics attention, she'd picked up on the obvious infatuation her friend had with the pilot ages ago. Shrugging, she dropped the spoon she'd been using to eat back into her empty bowl "He also said you should stop working yourself to death"

"I'm not working myself to death" Sola frowned trying to defend herself of something she knew was probably right.

"You skip meals everyday and I don't see you until midnight some nights, you do realise that isn't healthy? I would know, I'm basically a doctor" 

How could she argue with someone with actual medical knowledge?!

"Yet, you don't know how to change a fuse"

That made Lizzy snort and hold back a laugh, her bushy brown tied back hair shaking gently on her head, "Least I can talk to the girls I like".

She was right of course, and it shut the blond mechanic up in an instant. 

"When did you and Poe even get to talk?" Not that she had any right to ask that sort of thing. Poe could talk to absolutely anyone he liked, anytime he wanted to. She was simply surprised Lizzy hadn't mentioned it earlier. 

"Last night, when he dropped you off- sorry, carried you to bed" 

"I didn't mean to fall asleep!" Sola was bright red again. She just had to fall asleep in Dameron's arms that night, and he'd been ever the gentleman and carried her off to her bunk without complaint. 

How had he found out which was her room? Sola didn't question it, he was a resourceful man. 

"I wish you could've seen the way he was looking at you, made me feel sick it was so sweet" Lizzy made a gagging motion with her finger in her mouth before laughing at her friends embarrassed face. 

What kind of way had he been looking at her...?

"Hey! have you guys heard, Cas was demoted and transferred to another Resistance base this morning" Rose decided to join them and slid into the seat beside Lizzy with a fresh bowl of...whatever was for breakfast.

The smaller girls words made Sola's body stiffen, that was the last thing she wanted to think about right now even if the news was positive in its own way.

"Good riddance" Lizzy replied quickly after giving her blond friend a once over to make sure she was coping alright with the news. 

"Always thought he was creepy, do you know what happened?" Rose continued on with a nod of agreement. Sola was glad Rose wasn't friends with him in anyway, or what could have happened if Rose had been in her position in anyway. Sola was silently glad it had been her and not her friend, or any other mechanic on base.

Lizzy was looking at her for an answer, asking her with her eyes if it was okay to talk about what happened, if she was ready to talk about it. Sola nodded slightly before taking a sip of water from her half empty glass, she didn't want to speak right now. If she tried, her words would probably sound pathetic.

"He put his hands on Sola last night, uninvited" Lizzy gave the loose version of events, but enough for Rose to put the pieces together and look back at Sola across the table.

"O-oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know-"

"It's fine, he's gone, Lizzy and Po-, Commander Dameron stopped him before he could do anything" She didn't need the other woman's pity right now. It wasn't like anything extreme even happened, he just got a little too close for comfort...right?

Then why did her body still feel like it didn't belong to her. Every time the young mechanic thought about it, she was reminded of where his hands had been, of where his mouth had been, and she felt disgusting all over again. He almost took her first ki-

"It's not fine, and I wish I kicked him harder and Poe punched him harder, the guy deserves more than a broken nose".

"Poe punched him-, he broke his nose?!" That surprised both Rose and Sola enough to stare at Lizzy dumbfounded. The medic laughed to herself with a grin at the two.

"Yeah, there was blood all over his face, it was amazing, I wish I could've taken a picture" With that Sola could agree. Seeing him bloody faced with a broken nose would've been a sight to see. 

"Are we allowed to use the training rooms Rose?" The question came from Lizzy, figuring it was better to ask someone who had been around longer, and had a pilot as a sister who probably had experience with using the rooms, than to just waltz into one and get thrown out.

"Y-Yeah, as long as it's not being used. Why?"

"I'm gonna teach Sola how to kick ass, you wanna join?" 

"I think I'm good, Paige taught me some basic manoeuvres. Good luck though" Rose declined with a grin before she continued on to explain where to find the rooms, at that point Sola had stopped listening. Zoning out to stare into space while she thought back on the anger she heard in Poe's voice when he'd come across her the night before. 

It made her shudder to think how fast his voice and demeanour could change so quickly. Was that how his enemies saw him just before he killed them. Would the rage on his face when he punched Cas square in the face ever be directed her way? 

She could only hope not. 

"Lift your arms higher, your fists should be up by your face to protect it" Lizzy instructed from in front of her. After their shifts had been finished a week later, the pair had found the time to find an empty training room. 

Lizzy was far better at being an instructor than Sola gave her credit for. She was firm but understanding, and made sure to correct any mistakes with extra advice and explanation. 

"Better, now try blocking my punch again" 

This time the hit was easier to block, her arms much tighter to her body easily lifting slightly to deflect it before Sola grinned back at her friend in triumph.

"Great, see! Okay, now try to get my hands away from your shoulders, remember to keep your feet apart otherwise I can just push you over" The dark haired woman instructed before lifting her hands and placing them on her friends shoulders to give her a rough push.

Sola responded by first taking a step back. When that was unsuccessful, she twisted her body from side to side. Still, Lizzy held on with a tight grip. Remembering her previous teaching Sola gave it anther try and threw her hands out to her sides to push away Lizzy by pushing at her inner arms with a snap.

Just like that, Lizzy's arms fell and she took a step away "Perfect! Try to remember the weak points on the body, especially the arms, all you have to do is hit or put pressure on them, and however big your opponent is, they'll feel it".

"You're going a bit easy on her don't you think?" 

Lizzy turned towards the door with a pout, hands on her hips. Displeased at the comment on her teaching she pointed towards the Commander learning against the doorway, "You teach her then Dameron, I never said I was an expert".

How in kriffing hell had Poe Dameron found them now?!

"I am supposed to be warming up with my squadron right now but you know what, maybe I will" So that's why he was here, he was probably looking for an empty room for himself and his other fellow pilots to use and came across them by pure coincidence. 

Did that make Sola feel better or worse about the situation? She wasn't quite sure.

"Great, have fun, I'm taking a nap, see you later Sola" Once again, she had no trouble leaving her friend behind as she collected her sweater from the edge of the training mat, gave Sola a cheeky grin and proceeded to saunter out of the room, sparing Poe only a brief nod as he stepped into the room and smoothly took off his jacket.

His arms, his arms were perfect. Shaped by the gods, strong, sure. All of a sudden all she could think about was how he had put them around her frame not long ago to soothe her when she was crying. She hadn't seen him since then.

"W-What about Snap and the others" 

"So Snap gets to be called by his name and all I get is Commander? You wound me" He didn't look hurt even when he put a hand over his heart to pretend otherwise. It caused an eye roll from Sola before she tore her eyes away from his biceps to look at his smirking face.  
"They'll be fine, I told them I'd join them in a bit".

"And why help me?" It was a daring thing to ask, even if she expected the answer to be fairly insignificant to him.

"Because you obviously need it, Sweetheart" She frowned, offended, yet couldn't help but to blush at his words. He really needed to stop calling her that, even if she did appreciate he hadn't called her 'Kid' again since she'd asked him not to.

"Arms up, I wanna see your stance before we start" 

"D-Didn't you see it before...from the door..." How long had he been watching them for anyway?

"I want to see it up close" Poe clarified crossing his arms over his chest while he waited for her to adjust her stance. 

Legs shoulder width apart, arms up and fists tight against her body by her face and chin. He seemed pleased.

"Good" Testing her with a firm push to her shoulders, Sola almost stumbled back but made sure to keep her foot surely rooted after a sharp inhale. 

"You have good balance" 

"Thanks..."

"Are you ill?"

What?!

"What?"

"You're all red in the face"

Shit, her face was burning again because he was standing so close to her.

"N-No I'm fine, just a bit warm" Sola gulped turning her eyes away to stare down at her clenched fists, they were turning white under the pressure of her nerves.

He didn't seem convinced, eying her for another second before tilting his head "You better not be working late again and missing meals, don't want you fainting into my arms again"

"I-I didn't faint!" He was making her face burn brighter then the suns on Tatooine, and that was putting it mildly.

"Kidding!" Poe laughed loudly, raising his hands in surrender in amusement at her reactions. 

"Just....just teach me, please" That quieted him again and he gave a small nod before stepping around to stand behind her. 

"Were you shown the weak point at the back of the knees yet?" 

She shook her head, turning it to try and see him from over her shoulders. Poe didn't give her the chance to see him before he kicked his foot out and connected it with the back of her knee. Instantly her leg gave out, forcing her forward onto one knee with a gasp.

"Kick your opponent there as hard as you can, and they'll fall, I guarantee" The smile in his voice was clear, he was a smug teacher. 

"Clearly..." Sola mumbled to herself sarcastically as she got up again into her feet. If Poe had heard her, he didn't react. Instead he continued his teaching.

"You should learn how to punch and kick, properly" It was more of an observation than anything else. Sola remained quiet as he walked to the back of the room to collect an old worn punching bag. Clearly it had been used for many years, it was probably older than both of them combined.

"Show me how you punch" Poe stood at her side, urging her on with a nod when she glanced at him for assurance.

The mechanics punch wasn't impressive, barely making the large bag move at all, it probably hurt her more than it would her opponent. 

"Please tell me that wasn't an actual punch?"

"I don't usually need to punch anyone..."

"Have you ever punched anyone?"

"Once..."

"Did they even feel it?"

If he wasn't so handsome and brilliant all around, Sola might've tried to punch him right then and there. Instead, she gave him a pout that made him bite at his bottom lip to bite back a laugh.

"Did you punch...Cas?" The name made her want to wash her mouth out a hundred times over, but she wanted, needed to ask. 

She'd spotted the way Poe kept flexing his right knuckle every few minutes, she wasn't stupid.

"He deserved it"   
Sola wasn't arguing that fact, and instead turned to him and pointed at where his hands were resting at his sides.

"Your hand" She started, eyes casting over him and back up to his eyes shyly, "Did you hurt your hand...?" 

That seemed to take him by surprise, his hands flexing as a result. Lifting his right hand to examine it with his eyes for a moment he mumbled to himself "It'll be fine in a couple more days".

"But it hurts" Sola interjected quickly, taking a step closer without even realising she had until her hands had taken his. His knuckles were dotted with several small dark bruises and a scrape in the centre that indicated his skin had split there.

"Not anymore" Poe replied softy down at her, letting her look closer at his hand if it helped quench the worry over her face. 

He suddenly thought she looked pretty, worrying over him.   
Maybe he should get hurt more often...

Get your head out of your cockpit Dameron.

"You should have gone to get it seen to, or at least put a bacta-patch on it" It wasn't right that he seemed to neglect himself like that. First with his injuries after his missions, and now with this. Poe didn't deserve to be hurt, not because of her, or anyone for that matter. As much as injuries were a part of life and war, he should be looking after himself just as much as he loved to keep reminding her to do.

"You worried about me?"

Sola choked back the hitch of her breath and let out a cough to cover it up quickly, releasing his hand and stepping away only to have him follow her with a small step of his own. Just enough so that he could lean down to her height to look at her face to face and ensure she had a clear view of the famous smirk that made her swoon on the inside.

Curse this man.

"N-No..."

"You're a terrible liar you know that?" He didn't wait for an answer while she avoided his eyes he looked over her features slowly. Eyebrows, eyes, nose, cheeks, lips-

"You don't need to worry, I can look after myself Kid"   
The name caused her to look up at him again just like he had meant it to, and he grinned wider when he caught the red on her cheeks darken with their proximity.

"If it means I can punch him in the face over and over, I'd cut my whole arm off"

That had to be an exaggeration, he was messing with her again. 

"Don't say that..." She frowned, sighing softly at the thought at anyone getting hurt over her in anyway. Sola knew it wasn't her fault Cas was such a disgusting human, but she could've done more, something, anything. 

"I mean it, BB was furious when I got back to my room. Said he'd break the guys legs" A small laugh brightened up her face at the thought and suddenly it was Poe who was avoiding her face. Rubbing the back of his neck as he straightened up "You know, you're allowed to depend on other people".

Had she ever said otherwise? Not openly, but now that Poe mentioned it, it wasn't something Sola had the habit of letting happen. She didn't like to depend on others, she didn't wish to be a burden on them. People had their own troubles in the galaxy, they didn't need the added trouble and pressure of her own problems on their shoulders. Even if she'd do that exact thing for them in a heartbeat.

He was most likely referring to the incident with Cas, and her habit of working herself to the bone so that other mechanics didn't have the responsibility of fixing and tending to all the droids on base. Something that should realistically be handed to a small team of people, not just one.

Feelings were hard, and yet again she was reminded. Droids are easier.

"Other people have their own problems" She voiced after a long moment of silence that had made Poe question if he should say something else.  
"They don't need mine as well".

It was his turn to frown at her and shake his head "Friends are there to share troubles and problems, that's how we overcome them. Together" He sounded passionate when he spoke, as if he was talking about a personal experience. Something close to his heart. 

Was he telling himself or the woman in front of him?

"It's how the Resistance survives, it needs every member. Do you think I could take down the First Order on my own?" 

Sola looked up to face him while he placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently, he was being genuine.

"Without my squadron, without all of the other pilots, I'd be dead by now. Best pilot in the Resistance or not".

"That's different-"

"Is it?"

Eyes found the mat beneath her feet as she studied it for a moment while she contemplated. Maybe it wasn't so different. But this was her, it wasn't the Resistance. 

She wasn't important, not in the grand scheme of things.

"I-I'm not-"

"You are" Poe could tell where the train of her thoughts was going, he'd gone to that dark place many times before, blamed himself for so much, and he stopped it in its tracks before she could voice them fully. They were wrong. Every decent person deserved a chance to share their struggles. 

"Can we get back to training?" A change of topic was her only line of defence to this topic of conversation. It wasn't one she was familiar debating or discussing, and Poe was wasting his time trying to convince her mind otherwise.

"Not until you promise me, next time you're struggling with something, you'll talk to someone. Don't try to do it on your own if it's too much" That could refer to a whole range of things, big and small, but for now, to ease the intensity of his gaze, Sola nodded.

"That includes me by the way, I want my favourite droid mechanic to be in top shape. BB8 deserves only the best" .

With that, the blond could agree, and gave a smile and nod of her head. His droid did deserve the best she had to offer. "Where is BB8 by the way?" She hadn't seen the precious astromerch enter with him.

"He's off running diagnostics on Black One, he'll be around later when I'm done, if you want to see him? I think it's time he has a check up anyway" 

"I'd love to!" 

Had she always looked so adorable when she grinned about BB like that, or was Poe only just now catching onto that fact? He needed to stop staring at her like this, she probably thought he was being weird.

"Right, let's get that leg up. I hope your kick is better than your little punch"

"My punch is not little!" 

"Could've fooled me".


	8. Card Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who would've thought that a lowly mechanic in the resistance would be able to touch Poe Dameron's hair?! Sola certainly didn't.

The rest of the training Poe managed to give her that day was largely uneventful. Mostly directing her posture and where to put the pressure when she kicked or punched her target. The best part, Sola only managed to fall twice, and Poe hadn't needed to catch her on either occasion. Both times she'd reacted fast enough to either lad on her hands and knees, or roll back onto her feet. Her reaction time was getting better, and by the time they were done that evening, the pilot as her coach, was pleased.

The offer of further teaching had been offered to her after, whenever the Commander was free before his next departure, he would check in on her progress and test her skill to make sure she was getting stronger and hadn't forgotten the manoeuvres.

For one reason or another, Sola took that time and held onto it with both hands. Spending any time with Poe was a treasure, he always either seemed to be busy, or off base. To waste his precious time on some lowly mechanic who tinkered with droids all day, it wasn't something she took lightly. She was thankful.

Still, however. She worried about taking up his time. Surely he had more important tasks to tend to. Other people to spend time with. He spoke highly of his pilots, they were like his family, the way he smiled when he spoke of any of them hurt her heart every time. Sola both wished she had a family like that, and that he was off in their presence rather than her own.

Lizzy and Rose were becoming like family to her in a way, like sisters. She had even been introduced to Paige, Rose's sister on one occasion. She was a little older than Rose, taller and with sharper features. But just as kind, and just as passionate. 

"Some of the other pilots were talking about going to a bar on D'Qar tonight" Paige explained as she sat with Rose and Sola at the side of the landing strip for lunch.

"We should go, all of us" It was an obvious invitation, one that made Sola look up from her sandwich to blink at Paige.

"Sure, but I might be a bit late, Lazslo wants me after lunch for something he needs help with" Rose grinned, excited by the prospect of getting off base for the evening. She wasn't one to drink really, but sitting in a crowd of rowdy Resistance members sounded too good to miss.

"Sola?"   
Gosh, was it time to answer already?

"M-Maybe..." In comparison to Rose, the idea of being around a group of rowdy, drunk people didn't quite appeal to Sola as much. Even if Dameron was around, she wasn't sure seeing his lovely face in such a noisy room was worth the heart trouble afterwards. 

She did want to try, try and adapt to such an environment. To enjoy spending time with her new friends and not frighten away into a corner just because the volume around her rose with cheers and laughter. One day her heart rate wouldn't pick up like it did when she arrived on base. Sola wanted to make sure of that.

"Can we walk there, t-together I mean, I've never been away from the base" Arriving there with someone she knew was a good first step to ensuring a smooth start at least. It meant the mechanic would have someone to guide the way and sit with, instead of turning up late after being lost for an hour and then frantically needing to search the room for their faces. 

"Of course, I'll pick you up and we can meet Paige there" Rose, being the saint she was, had waited patiently for the debate in her friends mind to calm before she spoke enthusiastically at her request. Patting her shoulder as she went on about meeting the other famous pilots again, and if she'd be able to speak to any of them. Paige assured her she would.

Being from a desert planet meant Sola didn't have much in the way of clothing. Especially clothes which could be considered fancy in any way, meant for special occasions such as this. Which resulted in a rather lousy simple little dress that just reached her knees and was an auburn colour to be being thrown on. With only two pairs of shoes on hand, Sola opted for the brown boots which were cleaner than her work pair and grabbed the simple jacket the Resistance had provided her with on her arrival to cover her shoulders. Her hair remained up in a half bun to keep most of her face open and free to cool off in the crisp D'Qar evening air. 

"You look great!" Rose commented to her while they were making their way to the bar where they'd meet Paige. Sadly Lizzy was on nightshift that evening, so it was only the three of them that night. 

"Thank you, I like your hair too, it looks cute out of the ponytail" It was the first time the blond had seen Rose's hair out of it's endearing little band made of wire.

The pilots were a rowdy bunch. They took up half of the bar by the time the two mechanics arrived to join Paige at the table she'd reserved for them to sit at. Laughing and drowning in their drinks with more cheer than Sola had ever seen in her life. The buzzing energy was contagious enough to bring a smile to her own face, even if she was a little nervous of being judged in this environment.

"I got us a round of the house drink, careful, it's strong" Advice, as thoughtful as it was, came a little to late. The drink had already worked its way halfway down her throat by the time Sola heard her, resulting in her choking on the strong alcohol and coughing until the burning in her throat subsided. 

"N-No kidding" The blond laughed softly while Rose took a small sip and wrinkled up her nose in disgust. To be honest, the drink wasn't half as bad as the bantha-piss they served back on Tatooine. It was just, very strong.

"Care to join us for a game?" Jessika Pava spoke up with the question directed at the table, her own drink spilling from the rim of her large glass as she placed it on the table and looked around at each of them expectantly.

"I've never played any..." Sola mumbled her reply after Rose and Paige had already agreed, making Paige chuckle while she stood and wave her over regardless.

"Don't worry, we'll teach you, it's not as hard as it looks" 

With all due respect to the pilot, she was talking absolute shi-

"I-I think I lost again..." 

Rose leaned over the blond mechanics shoulder to check her cards before nodding "Looks like it". 

Even after having the rules explained to her twice, and with Rose and Paige helping her over each shoulder, Sola was terrible. Jessika only seemed to giggle more, and Snap was so far into his hundredth drink he was half hanging off of his chair.   
The other pilots in the circle, the names of which she'd learned were L'ampar, Kun, and Oddy Muva, didn't mind her continuous losing streak and took it in good humour, drinking with her while she grumbled under her breath. She had half the mind to blame the alcohol on this occasion.

Poe on the other hand thought it was hilarious. He was seated on her left between Paige, who sat beside her, and Snap who kept bumping into his shoulder. The Commander had brought them all round of drinks already and insisted they not gamble him into another. Every time he laughed at her loss, Sola became more irritated.

For now the alcohol had calmed the anxieties she experienced when first entering the busy large room, forgetting what anyone might think of her here and instead focusing on remembering the blasted rules of the card game she not only forgot the name of, but she kept losing. Dameron and his cocky grin were getting on her nerves, she knew he didn't mean it seriously, but being laughed at by his squadron, in front of everyone, it wasn't the best first impression. 

"Aww c'mon, no need to pout, not everyone can be as good as me at everything" Poe taunted her two seats down, waving his cards in her direction while Jessika shot him a look that told her she agreed with the statement in Sola's head. Poe was a cocky bastard.

"Shut it Dameron, it's her first time" The pilot snapped at him leaning forward in her seat to try to speak to Sola directly. 

"Ignore him, he's just happy he isn't the one losing for once" 

"Careful Pava otherwise the next round of drinks is on you!" Poe argued back with a harsh laugh that made the air around him vibrate. Jessika only rolled her eyes and nudged Snap awake at her side. 

"Wake up Wexley, I need your help to take Poe down a peg he's getting arrogant again"   
Snap stirred momentarily, gazing around the room before sinking back against Poe's shoulder with a groan.

"When have I ever been arrogant?!" As soon as he asked, the rest of the pilots shot a look at each other and laughed aloud like they'd just heard the best joke in the galaxy.

"Oh come on! I have a whole list Dameron, don't make me expose all your dirty secrets in front of your new girlfriend"

His new WHAT?!

Sola choked on her drink until Rose was patting sympathetically. The rest of them falling silent in their little circle to look at anywhere but the blond mechanic and a doubtful, confused Rose.

Poe was the first to speak up after having stared, dumbfounded, at Jessika for several long seconds, "She's not-"

"I'm gonna go for some fresh air" The words were out of her mouth in a flash, so fast only Rose caught them before Sola was out the front door and into the fresh air with a long inhale. Cards discarded on her seat along the way.

Air, she needed air, a lot of it and now. Taking large steps out into the green beside the small bar, Sola let her lungs lift and deflate several times before she dared to let the thoughts in her brain in.

They were making fun of her, did they think she was annoying, a joke?! A little idiot mechanic girl with a silly crush on their famous Commander. They didn't seem like bad people, each and every one had welcomed her with open arms and introduced themselves with smiles and cheers. They were charming.

But still, Sola doubted everything. Her brain screaming at her that every negative thought, every doubt she had about herself, they had thought about her too. 

She didn't hate them for it if they did. 

Maybe that was the saddest thing of all. Sola did not dislike anyone, even if they thought only half of the bad shit she thought about herself.

Feet carried her off past the tree line and into the thick brush of the D'Qar greenery. Needing to be away from people she kept walking, branches and leaves cutting at her exposed legs as she breathed uneven and heavy.

Poe. He had started to deny it too. Obviously she wasn't in anyway his girlfriend, and would never be anymore to him than a friend. At least she hoped they were friends in some way. But the way in which he'd argued back with such conviction, as if the notion of it as a whole was absurd. That's what hurt the most. 

Heart drumming against her rib cage, Sola continued on until she reached a small clearing and fell onto her knees with a heavy breath. 

It was quiet here, even the wildlife was asleep, the only noise being the rush of wind brushing against the treetops and the odd insect letting out its nightly song. 

Was Dameron ashamed to know her? To tell people he knew her. Was he ashamed to share the idea that she might be his friend? 

Sola put her face into her hands and rubbed until it was red before looking up into the night sky. It was littered with thousands of stars, planets and galaxies. What she wouldn't give to be on any other planet right now. 

Maybe they'd let her transfer to another Resistance base. As much as it hurt to think she'd never see Lizzy or Rose again, the idea of seeing Poe's face again hurt a whole lot more.

"Sola?!" Someone was calling her from the way she had come. Male, deep, recognisable. 

Poe.

Was he looking for her? Why?! 

Hadn't he said enough with his tone of voice earlier? 

She was fine out here, alone. It was peaceful. Nice.

"Sola, kriffing-" His voice faltered as if he'd stumbled before it picked up again, "Where are you Kid, I went out to check on you and you just disap-" he found her then, sitting in the clearing amongst the overgrown grass and weeds like a solitary mountain peak. She was still. Unmoving.

"Hey..." Voice softer, he approached cautiously until he reached her side and crouched down to examine her for any injuries.

"You okay?"

"How many stars do you think there are in the universe?" 

Poe stopped and stared at her, confused. An odd thing to ask given the circumstances but he humoured her by sitting down at her side and following her line of sight until he reached the sight of the stars.

"I dunno, millions, billions, more" Tilting his head he sighed before looking at the side of her face. Her side profile was kind of nice. Her little turned up button nose, which always seemed to carry a tint of red, more prominent from this angle.

Was that weird to think? Probably. 

"Why are you sitting out here?"

That was easier to answer than his previous question, but still, she avoided his face and continued to peer up while she spoke "It's quiet out here. I've never been in a forest before, I never knew it was so soothing".

Poe was surprised by that and hummed "Never? Wow. Where did you grow up?" 

"Tatooine"

A low whistle rose from between Poe's lips before he snorted. Not exactly a place he'd call homey.

"You?"

"Yavin four" 

She'd heard about the jungle planet, it seemed nice from what she could gather, and somehow she was jealous of him at that moment "Lucky you"

"Compared to Tatooine? Yeah" He shared her sentiment with a chuckle before looking out at the trees around them, "It's a little like D'Qar sometimes".

Wind pushed a stray hair off her cheeks, filling the silence with a gentle lull that could probably make her fall asleep right here and now if she let it. 

"I'm sorry if anything we said offended you, Jessika was just joking around" It was supposed to help ease her, she knew that. But it didn't, not until he answered the raging questions in her mind.

"I know, I just-" This was Poe kriffing Dameron and she was getting nervous again, the fresh air had sobered them both up and now asking the delicate question on her mind seemed like a daunting task again.

"You don't have to hang out, or help, or see me, ever. If you don't want to" Gaze dropping to the grass at her feet, Sola proceeded to pick at it nervously while she avoided him.

He was hard to avoid however, simply with him sitting so close beside her, his body heat was reminding her of his presence. 

"What makes you think I don't want any of that?" If he'd ever given her any indication of such things, Poe hadn't meant to. He thought back on every meeting, shuffling through his mind to any instance that might've unnerved her but he came up empty handed.

"Because I'm me and you're..."

Commander Poe Dameron, Resistance Pilot, Poster Boy, and General Organa's right hand man. The list of his impressive titles was endless, meanwhile Sola could barely remember her own name on some days,

"Because I'm what?" Poe sat up straight, turning his body to her fully. "Look at me Sola".

She hesitated before turning her head in his direction, staring at his chest for another beat before meeting his eyes. They looked darker in the moon and starlight, black almost. Like an endless swirling black hole that threatened to consume her in all the best ways. Maybe being sucked into Poe Dameron's endless eyes would be a good way to go.

"I'm just like you, like everyone else" He began, reaching out to gently tuck her hair behind her right ear, to her surprise, the gesture felt intimate.

"I know I'm a damn good pilot, and that I talk a lot" She waited for him to continue while searching his eyes for any hint of a lie. She found none.

"But I'm human, I can die, bleed, laugh, cry, just like everyone else. And I've lost people, just like everyone else" he was deadly serious and somehow Sola found herself nodding at him, emotion welling in her eyes.

"Everyone in the Resistance is important, pilot or otherwise" 

To her, he was a hero. But she didn't dare interrupt him.

"It's about saving, protecting what we still have left. Each other, lives, families, hope"   
Once again, without having even thought about the action, Poe's hand had found the mechanics face to cradle her cheek.

"We are all important, every single life. I'm not more important than you, and you're not more important than me" Doubt made her avert her eyes until he nudged her face towards him again.

"I know you can't believe that right now and that's okay, but believe that I do, and so does everyone else will half a brain cell. If anyone tells you otherwise, that you aren't important, send them to me" It was half a joke, but enough to make her bite back a smile. One that Poe spotted too quick for his own good and grinned at. 

"I'm sorry if I upset you earlier" He readjusted himself in his position to drop his hand from her skin, in the wake of it, her skin burned. As if his hand had left a red handprint on her cheek she wanted never to let go of.

"Anyone would be lucky to have your heart" 

Since when was Poe Dameron a romantic. So, poetic. 

"I think for now, droids own it" 

"So BB8 has more of a chance with you than me?!" 

Sola laughed hard enough to fall back onto her hands "Sorry, I think he's my favourite droid in the entire galaxy now".

Poe gasped, laughing with her while he threw himself into the grass beside her "And here I thought my charm was effective on everyone".

If only he knew how right he was.

"What's that?" Sola gestured to his neck to which he glanced down before realising what she meant and pulled forth the chain from which a ring hung. 

"My mothers, she died when I was eight"

Biting at her bottom lip, unsure of what to say at that, Sola raised a hand to place over his own which was playing with the ring. "I'm sorry".

"She taught me how to fly, used to take me out in her old A-Wing"

Her eyebrows raised as he let her inspect the ring. She was handling it like a precious piece of fragile equipment and somehow that warmed his heart.   
"Really, so she was a pilot too?"

"Yep, she served in the Alliance to restore the Republic together with my father"   
So that's where he got his rebellious, righteous personality from. Sola could imagine him as a little boy, running around with his family. 

"So rebels run in your family then?"

Poe chuckled and nodded staring at her again before he spoke "You could say that, what about you, your family?" 

Releasing his ring to let it fall against his chest, Sola lowered herself to lie down on her back and stare at the dark sky once more. 

"My mother died giving birth to my sister. She was a gentle woman, from what I can remember anyway" The blond began, taking a breath to compose herself in front of Poe, "My father he...he was killed after my sister left, too much debt with too many people. He taught me how to fix droids and speeders".

Closing her eyes, Sola felt tired all of a sudden. It was late, she had been working all day, and now the stress she had experienced earlier in her head was catching up to her. "After that I lived on my own, stealing and doing small jobs usually" she didn't remember the last time she spoke so much, her throat felt rough and worn and she felt guilty again for spewing so many words.

"S-Sorry I didn't mean to talk your ear off-"

"You aren't, I asked" Poe interrupted softly, copying her position and lying back with his arms behind his head as a cushion.

"Didn't count you as a thief, it suits you though" 

"What do you mean?!" Should she be offended by that? 

"You're quiet and fast, and short. Makes you easy to miss if someone isn't looking for you"   
He was right with one thing, she was easy to overlook, in more ways than one.

"Not to me though, not now" 

Eyes flew open to turn to him in confusion. What the hell does that mean?!

"After I saw you for the first time, when you ran into BB. You were easy to pick out of a crowd after" Somehow that was hard to fathom, but Poe persisted.

"Your eyes and hair give you away" he pointed out with a smile, turning his head to face her. 

"Did you dye it, your hair?"

"Yeah, on my way here, it came out weird" She had never used dye before, no one on Tatooine had the luxury to sell her any in the past. It had become mostly faded by now, only catching small hints of pink and peachy oranges in the light. The way Poe pointed it out, suddenly she felt self conscious about it, taking a long strand and pulling it between her fingers.

"Why?"

"I wanted a fresh start...I suppose, reinvent myself"

"I like it, BB8 said you should dye it orange" That made her giggle, of course the little astromerch would say something like that.

"I'd look ridiculous"

"Impossible". 

Let's not unpack the meaning behind that statement right now. He was far too charming and smug for his own good her heart couldn't take much more of this.

"Save your compliments and flattery for someone who deserves it, Commander Dameron" That came out far to quick for her to stop. It was meant to be light and funny, but the truth behind the words were easy to pick apart.

"You deserve them" Poe was serious within a heartbeat and turned his body to face her. She couldn't make out his whole expression in the dark but he still held a softness she recognised on his features. Slightly upturned eyebrows, relaxed eyes, and a smile that just barely lifted the corner of his lips. If someone wasn't looking, they would've missed it completely.

"Do you say that to everyone on base?" Sola hadn't meant to tease him about it, what Poe was doing was a genuinely nice thing. But she just couldn't accept it, not for herself. Playing it off seemed like the best option at that moment.

"That they could pull off orange hair? No, that pleasure is all yours" Of course he knew that she meant. Poe Dameron had a habit if flirting and being his usual charming self, he ran his mouth with an abundance of recklessness. 

What she failed to realise however was that he didn't just throw serious compliments like the one he just had slipped to her, to just anyone. He had surprised himself with the simple word 'impossible' that he hadn't meant to voice aloud. In his head however, Poe agreed, he doubted anything could make this woman look ridiculous even if she tried.

"If it's as bright as the paint job on BB8 then I'd look like some kind of vegetable" Sola snorted, turning her head away in the opposite direction to try and hide the ugly laugh that followed at his joke.

"Your hair looks nice like this" He suddenly added from beside her,

"Down, I mean. I think you had it down when I found you on my ship that night, but I was a bit drunk to remember the details" A hand reached out to the hair sprawled about behind her head, toying with it between his fingertips, Poe hummed to himself as if to confirm his statement.

Sola couldn't help but flush, instinctively turning her head back to him to see what he was doing, only to stop and stare. A curious statement to make. 

"I-I prefer keeping it up...usually" She could agree however, it was a nice change. The hot climate of Tatooine had not given her many chances in the past to have it worn down. It felt nice to have it shift in the breeze like this.

"Keeps it out of my face when I'm working otherwise it gets all..." She made a motion with her hand as if to mess up her hair like it might have turned out like if she let it out of its buns or ponytail when she was working on droids. 

"Trust me, I know" Poe chuckled glancing up at his own hair over his eyebrows and blowing the thick strand of a curl from his forehead. It didn't do much, the dark curl simply slipped right back into place without a care in the world. 

"It doesn't look bad" Sola commented on his behaviour with a small grin. In fact, Poe Dameron's hair, to her, was just about the nicest thing she'd seen in her life. It looked soft, unbelievably so, and she wondered if it smelled more like him, or whatever shampoo he used.   
"The wild look suits you, Commander".

Poe made a face at her that could only be read as 'You do?', before she shifted on her side to face him like he had done. 

Mirroring his position, the arm she was now leaning on reached out to try to push that difficult little curl from his forehead. It didn't work, what a surprise. But neither seemed to care, and Poe certainly didn't want to pull away once she started.

Sola tried again, biting at her bottom lip in concentration before giving up when it wouldn't stay put and gently pushed her fingertips into the front of his dark hair. It too, looked black in the summer night, if she hadn't met him before when there was sunlight around and witnessed the way the light bounced off in soft browns from his hair, Sola too would've guessed it was black.

Relaxing into her touch, all Poe could do was watch her for a moment, admire her features, before closing his eyes. His own two fingers still playing with a strand of her own silken blond hair while she dared herself to touch him.

It was downright sinful how her hands felt in his hair. It reminded the pilot of the times his mother had done so in the past, trying to get him to sleep at night while he burst with energy on his bed demanding to hear stories of her adventures and battles within the rebel alliance. It was always an intimate action, the way she had cradled his hair and head, it soothed his senses and his thoughts until he slipped away.

Poe's hair was soft under her fingertips, slightly rugged in some places but always warm against his head and her hand. It was like a trance, once Sola began with a rhythm, she couldn't stop herself from repeating it. Back and forth her hand circled, digging in just enough to caress his scalp as she watched his eyes flutter shut, her own pair following soon after. 

Until their breathing synced, small breaths casting over each other's faces and their heartbeats, unbeknownst, morphed into one. 

This felt nice, it felt...right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly who hasn't thought about running their hands through Poe's hair haha. I'm still writing more chapters atm so there's no guarantee on how many there will be in total. I hope you're enjoying it up until this point! More action and drama to ensue soon B)


	9. A Treasure Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Poe Dameron loses contact with the Resistance on Jakku, tensions rise around the base. Isn't there anything a Droid Mechanic can do to help?! Apparently there is: Track down BB-8.

"BB8 your antenna's all bent" As soon as the little droid rolled out from under the black X-Wing, Sola noticed the abnormality and bent down to fix it without as much as a thought.

"There, all better, careful when you're rolling around under the ships" Sola smiled as BB-8 beeped in thanks, spinning its head in a circle as if to test the antenna. 

It was the morning after she'd managed to fall asleep in the D'Qar forest with Poe. The two of them waking up with the sunrise and hurrying off to their bunks before the rest of the base was beginning to wake up. No one else seemed to have noticed their unplanned absence that night, much to Sola's relief at least. She didn't need more rumours. And she definitely didn't want to talk about it with Poe, fearing he'd tease her about it, or worse, shoot down the idea that had formed in her head that the incident, for her at least, had been an intimate one.

"Come to see me off?" 

Not intentionally, Sola had totally forgotten that Poe was leaving for a secret mission on his own and had simply been wondering towards the hanger to get to her work for the day.   
A lucky coincidence she caught him then.

"You're not taking Black One?" He was walking past his black ship and down the row to an older, unmarked model. She could tell it hadn't been used in a while with the layer of dirt and dust on the roof of the cockpit. Why was he going undercover?

"I love her, but the First Order would recognise her from light years away" He was right, no doubt they hated that ship with how Poe handled himself in it. Not the most inconspicuous ship in the galaxy.

Decked out in his more civilian, casual attire. Something Sola hadn't seen him in much before, helmed tucked under his right arm, Poe looked devilishly handsome in all his glory. As much as he suited the look, and the handsome smile on his face, Sola couldn't help but to feel uneasy.

He was going alone, with BB-8, in a ship no one would notice him in, on a mission she couldn't even comprehend the dangers of. He could die. Not that he wasn't at risk at anytime on any mission, but this one felt different. More urgent, more secretive. She didn't like it, especially since he had no back up. 

"W-When can I- I mean, when can I expect my next check up with BB?" The droid in question bumped at its masters legs impatiently and hurried to answer before Poe could even open his mouth.

They laughed in sync, silently answering the question without words.

"Come back alive, Commander, and don't put my favourite droid in the galaxy at risk...please" Sola added leaning down to pat the droid's metal head. He beeped, returning the sentiment "I'm your favourite mechanic? You're making me blush BB".

"I'm not planning on dying anytime soon, Sweetheart" his voice was soft again as he put on his helmet and made his way up into the cockpit.

Somehow...that was enough.

Work distracted her from the overbearing worry in her head. Ever since Poe had left, she wondered silently if it would be the last she ever saw him. He was a good pilot, the best, but he was mortal. He had reminded her of such. 

Sola took up any work, all work offered, and even chose to seek out Rose at the end of her shifts to ask if she needed help with anything. She needed it to take up the space in her head, if Sola let herself think about what might happen- she couldn't. 

Poe Dameron had crash landed his way deep into her heart. Tore down her defences, destroyed the brick walls and left her bleeding, open. She didn't know how or when, but whenever she thought of the curly haired pilot, his eyes, the way he played with his bottom lip when he was thinking hard, the way he smiled at his droid like they were an inseparable team. The mechanic's heart clenched painfully in her chest. She would let him short circuit her heart any day.

Half of the Resistance base probably shared her sentiment, and with that knowledge alone, she knew she couldn't do anything about it. She wasn't special. 

"You know you can't just keep coming round here anytime you want" Lizzy was organising a new shipment of medicines from a crate when she turned to Sola. 

The mechanic gave a shrug, handing her another bottle to be stored away before she replied "I know...I just, anytime I get any free time..." she couldn't finish her words and instead left them unsaid.

Her friend didn't seem to mind, and continued "I know, but you're making yourself sick with worry, and too much work. You need to slow down" 

Obviously it wasn't healthy, falling back into her bad habit of working so much until she passed out. But what else could she do?! No one had heard from Dameron in days, even the General was getting uneasy. She'd never met the woman personally, but Sola had seen her walking circles outside the base a couple of times looking exactly how the mechanic felt inside.

"I don't know what else to do..." 

"I appreciate the help, I do, but you should go eat something and go to sleep" Lizzy offered placing a hand on the blond's shoulders before pulling the smaller girl into a soft hug.

"He's gonna be fine, Poe could talk his way out of anything" The touch was soothing against her tired body, holding her upright and filling her with strength she'd lost over the last few days.

"Aren't you tired, with all the work?" Sola looked up at her from against the taller woman's lean shoulder, hugging her back.

"It's not too bad, there's this really hot nurse who works with me sometimes" 

Sola laughed against her shoulder and shook her head, of course, all it took was a pretty girl and Lizzy could run practically on fumes.

"The way she smiles, force, what I wouldn't give-"

"Okay, okay I got it, she's very inspiring" Pushing her away playfully, Sola took a step back to show the amusement in her eyes. Lizzy reflected the look with her own and smirked waving her hands towards the door.

"I'm going, I'm going" Sola surrendered with a breath, finally leaving the room in defeat. At this point she'd learned, there was no point in arguing with her friend.

Only managing a few hours of rest, by the time Lizzy was asleep on her bottom bunk snoring loudly. Sola had snuck her way out to where Black One stood among the other X-Wings. It was dark outsidr, and even though she'd failed to check the time before she left, Sola was sure it would be sunrise soon.

Sleep was still in her eyes when she was finished washing the see-through panelling of the ships cockpit canopy, but it shone nicely in her eyes regardless. Next, she scrubbed down the wings until she saw her reflection in them. By the time Sola had managed to find her way back underneath the ship, streaks of sunlight were worming their way out from somewhere in the distant horizon.

The sound of an engine, and a gathering crowd was the only thing to interrupt the silence shortly thereafter. Something was happening. 

Peeking out from under the ship to the best of her ability, a transport shuttle landed further down the landing strip just out of her sight. As soon as the bridge lowered, several people hurried inside and a body on a stretcher was brought out moments later.

Could it be-

Before she could even think about it, Sola was on her feet, out from under the ship and running towards the group of people who were racing back into the base. Whoever they were carrying was still conscious, luckily, and waving off the mask of oxygen offered to them. 

It was Poe! Easy to spot from the dark curls on his head and the broad shoulders, it was Poe Dameron and he was alive. Her heart soared in her chest, relief flooding every muscle in her body until she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Poe!" 

He didn't hear her.

"Wow, slow down Kid, he's going to the medbay and you have work to be getting on with" Lazslo appeared in front of her, stopping her with a single large hand on her shoulder from reaching Poe who disappeared down the hallway into the base. 

"Nothing you can do, Dameron's got his own priorities right now" Sola knew the head mechanic was right, even if she did reach him, what was she going to to? Nothing she could say or do would help. She would only slow him down right now. 

Then why was seeing him the only thing that mattered right now. She'd give anything just to see the way the light bounced around his eyes again, and see him smile, alive, breathing.

"C'mon, the General wants to see us"

The General?! General Organa...wanted to see her?!

Lazslo wasn't a man of many words, he remained silent the rest of the way towards the command centre while Sola walked beside him. Thoroughly confused and anxious. Did she look okay, was she presentable?! It hadn't mattered when she got out of bed to work on Poe's ship, but now she regretted not having checked herself in a mirror when she tied up her hair into a high ponytail earlier. 

"There you are" General kriffing Organa addressed them when they entered the large open room of the control centre. Displays, holograms and machinery littered the space. It was busy even at this time in the morning.

"General" Lazslo gave a slight bow in the older woman's direction before nudging Sola's arm to catch her attention. The blond had been staring around the room, not even registering the interaction until she was nudged back into reality and turned red in shame.

"G-General, Ma'am!" Her voice sounded like a squeak, pathetically so.

"I'm sure you're aware of Commander Dameron's return this morning" The General had kind eyes, she talked with authority and understanding but a hidden strength lay beneath it all. At least, in Sola's opinion.

Both mechanics gave a nod before the General continued, arms behind her back, "His droid, was lost on Jakku and holds sensitive information we must get our hands on before the First Order can find it" she continued, bringing up an imagine of BB-8 from a holo-pad in front of her.

"BB8 is missing?!" Shit, she didn't mean to speak so loudly. But the distress was caught by both Lazslo and General Organa who looked up to study the blond woman for a beat. Long enough to unsettle her until the mechanic shrunk back and averted her eyes to the floor.

"Yes, and we need to find him. That's why you are both here" Surely the head mechanic of the Resistance alone would be enough to help General Organa track down one droid right?

"Lazslo tells me you specialise in droids"

Sola nodded, blue eyes still glued to the floor. Was that disrespectful, should she look up again?

"Best at what she does, always working hard" The larger man beside her boasted, the compliment wasn't missed and Sola smiled to herself slightly, gathering her bravery to look up into the General's face once more.

"Good, I need you to locate the droid as fast as possible, anything you need you'll have at your disposal. Is that clear?" 

This time both of them replied with assured tones and as one "Yes, General".

"Then get to it".

Enhancing a tracking signal to a singular droid sounded simple enough. It wasn't. If the BB unit was still on Jakku he was a good distance away, and with every passing minute it was more likely than not that someone had picked him up and he was on his way to force knows where. 

Lazslo had decided to focus on the scanning and tracking equipment while Sola was taking apart an old broken BB unit which was no longer in use to figure out what exactly they were working with. How much time had passed? Hours, maybe even a full day, she wasn't sure. The General had checked in on them on several occasions but said nothing while the two worked, occasionally offering a tool or a solution the other was struggling with.

"You're distracted" 

Sola looked up from the wire in her hand, blinking at Lazslo who sat across from her "What?"

He rolled his eyes and set down whatever he had been working on "You're distracted Kid, and as much as we both want to get this done. You can't work until you see him". He'd figured that out the second they started their work, and had hoped the little mechanic would beat down the worries over a certain Commander by now. She hadn't.

"See w-who?"

Sola knew exactly who he was referring to, but instantly denied it all within herself and raised her eyebrows at the head mechanic.

"Poe, Dameron, he should be done with the General by now. Go see him and come back with a clear head" it sounded like he wasn't leaving her with an option there.

"I'm not...distracted. It's fine, I'll see the Commander once we're done" She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince but the stubborn side of her brain told her finding BB was much more important right now than a moment alone with Poe, even if she wished it weren't.

"Go see the damn pilot" Sola opened her mouth to argue only to be cut off "that's an order".

It was an argument she couldn't win, even if she tried. By the time she had a moment to compose herself, the mechanic was in front of the control centre, straightening up her mustard overalls and hair before taking a deep breath in through her mouth and out through her nose. Just like Lizzy had taught her to do to calm her nerves.

"Sola?"

Great. Instead of her finding him, Poe had found her. 

Shit, her heart was racing again.

"You're alive" Turning to face him, seeing him beat up but breathing. The sight was like no other. 

"Told you I would be" He was smirking at her with a cut bottom lip, hands on his hips and a angry bruise blooming over one of his eyes.

She didn't need to hear anything else, the emotions raging through her body threatening to overwhelm her, before she knew it, the smaller mechanic ran and threw her arms around the pilots neck. 

Poe couldn't help but grunt at the impact, hugging her back without a thought while he chuckled lowly into her ear "Miss me that much?".

Maker, he didn't even know the half of it. 

Nodding frantically into the crook of his neck, Sola allowed herself to stay there for a long minute on her tiptoes. Breathing him in like she had done the last time he had hugged her. This time the circumstances were better, because Poe Dameron was alive and in one piece. "Poe I-"

"You're calling me Poe now?" He just had to tease her didn't he.

"Commander-, Poe, I-I was so worried..." Suddenly she was choking up and nothing she said to herself was helping the tears soaking into his collar. This was the second time he'd seen her cry.

"I know Sweetheart, I'm alright" Smoothing down the hair from the side of her face Poe cradled the back of her head against him ever so slightly, as if to tell her she didn't need to pull away just yet. 

Sola didn't dare, instead her face grew red and she proceeded to hide it further against his skin. "What happened?" The voice was quiet and muffled as it resonated against his neck but Poe heard it loud in clear resulting in a small sigh.

"First Order tracked me down on Jakku" He mumbled feeling her tears prickling his skin but saying nothing in fear she'd grow embarrassed and hide away. It was okay to cry, it made her human, and right now, he needed a little humanity around.

"BB escaped but they-" His hand shook on the back of her neck as he thought about what he had seen. The way they murdered those villagers like it meant nothing, how Ren had ordered it like it was just another Friday afternoon. 

Sensing his unease, Sola pulled back her head just enough to look up at him, frowning slightly and giving a nod of her head for him to continue. He must've seen something truly vile for someone with so much battle experience to react in such a way.

"They captured me and killed everyone else in that village" His jaw was clenching hard, his eyes leaving her own blue pair momentarily to seek the comfort of one of the old roots breaking out from the concrete walls of the base. He didn't want- couldn't look at her, she was so small in his arms, he wondered if she'd ever seen anyone die before? The pilot hoped not. No one deserved to live with the sight of that in their minds.

"I'm so sorry" It wasn't her fault, nor was it his. But somehow she imagined he was blaming himself for it in some way, Sola would too, had she been there.

The only thought running through Poe's mind was that he should have done more. Contacted the base, covered his tracks better, gotten to his ship faster, or just killed more Stormtroopers before they eradicated every single life in that little village on Jakku. 

"Poe, please look at me" The hand that came to rest on the side of his face snapped his thoughts back to the present, Poe's head turning to look at her and put his hand, which had previously been on her back, over her smaller hand. Her thumb brushed over the cut on the side of his cheek bone, soothing the sting while she examined it. Had he been beaten? Tortured?!

"It's not your fault, you did what you could" even if she was right, Poe shook his head and laughed under his breath. 

"I know..." Sola's eyes looked almost white so close up, he hadn't noticed the ice running through them up until now. Never having had the opportunity to study her up this close in decent lighting Poe felt compelled to notice every move her eyes made. She was pretty, and even with her mouth set into a small thin smile, dusted red from her previous crying, he imagined her lips would be soft. 

"As cute as this is, Poe you should be asleep, your body has just been through hell and back and you smell and look, like bantha-shit" 

They jumped apart with a gasp, Lizzy standing a few meters down leaning against the wall with crossed arms giving them a knowing look. She'd come to collect Dameron from the General to hand him some more bacta ointment for his face and send him to bed, but instead, came across the couple in such a compromising position, she couldn't help but stand back and observe for a minute or two. 

"L-Liz" Sola acknowledged her friend with a bashful smile, face boiling and avoiding Poe at all cost. 

He wasn't fairing any better and cleared his throat before taking the small bottle of salve offered to him from the smirking medic "Thanks, I'll get going then, find BB for me will ya?" So he knew then, that Sola had been part of the team tasked with tracking his astromerch down. 

The mechanic smiled, determination strong behind her gaze, and nodded. It gave him enough comfort to grin back at her before heading off to get some rest and a long shower. He knew he could trust her with this, BB8 meant almost as much to her as he did to him by now, she would work herself to the bone for all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise again for any spelling errors, English is not my first language. I hope you enjoy, more chapters to come!


	10. Beacons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takodana definitely isn't a sight anyone wants to come across after the First Order visit. But Sola has more important things to focus on, Poe Dameron had just asked her the most important question in the Galaxy. She couldn't speak.

"Lazslo, Sir" It was in the middle of the night when the numbers made their way onto the data pad at her feet. A cluster of them, like a repeating pattern over and over, never ending or slowing down. 

They'd tinkered together all night, increasing the radius for tracking droids on a scanner connected to the nearest Resistance base close to Jakku and honed in on the particular model to try to pick up BB-8's little signature. So far nothing had come of it, Lazslo had fallen asleep leaning against the table while Sola had remained awake, working under the soft light of an old lamp she'd found stashed in one of the storage rooms. 

Grumbling under his breath, the head mechanic stirred from the sound of her voice. A hand coming to rub his eyes before he focused his tired gaze on her. "Hmm?"

"I'm not sure what it is but...it's, it's something..." That peaked his interest, shuffling over to her across the dusty floor he peered at the screen which was filling up with the string of numbers over and over again.

"It's not like any binary I've seen before" Sola tilted her head at the screen, still confused, but hoping at that meant something to someone more experienced.

"It's not a language" Lazslo corrected slowly, he sounded more awake now.

"Those are coordinates" 

What?! Did that mean-

"We found our droid" Just like that Lazslo was on his feet, grabbing a hold of his com and speaking into it with a firm voice "This is Lazslo, contact the General, we found the droid, it's on his way to Takodana".

The fleet of fighters was readied faster than Sola thought was humanly possible. The pilots gathering around the table with the General at the head, discussing on how to approach the planet if, or rather when, the First Order ships inevitably arrived. They were still silently waiting for conformation of BB-8's location, the mechanic knew the string of coordinates they'd received could have been compromised or old, they needed assurance what they were heading into wasn't a trap in anyway.

"With all due respect General, we can't wait any longer. If BB8 is on that planet, we need to get there first" Poe was adamant from the moment he'd found out where his precious friend was, that they leave as soon as possible. Leia Organa however, had reminded him that the lives of the Resistance were more important.

Sola had stood at the back of the command centre, silently observing while Lazslo was helping the other mechanics ready the X-Wings. She wasn't quite sure what else she could be doing besides standing, listening, hoping. 

"General, we just got conformation from our agent at Takodana Castle, the droid has been spotted" Lieutenant Connix appeared at the table to address the group of pilots with a stern face "It's been spotted with Han Solo and two others". 

"Permission to depart, General?" Poe spoke before the General could respond to Connix,

"Go" Was her only response, and it was enough. Just like that, the band dispersed, grabbing their helmets and running out of the room in the direction of the landing platforms. 

She didn't expect him to, but Poe stopped by the door and turned towards the mechanic. Searching her face for a second before reaching his hand out to place on her shoulder "Thank you, I'll bring him back for us" he spoke as if BB was theirs, the idea made Sola's heart tighten just a little.

The blond wanted to say so much to him right there. Beg him to be safe, tell him not to be reckless. But whatever came to her mind was instantly silenced with how he was looking at her. "Go save our droid, and your Stormtrooper friend" He'd briefly mentioned Finn once he'd gotten news of BB8's whereabouts. Explaining that the defecting trooper had helped him escape and saved his life. Whoever this Finn person was, Sola wanted to thank him properly if she ever got to meet him. 

With a nod, Poe was gone. Black and red helmet in hand, large footsteps carrying him down the hallways and out of her sight. She hated to watch him go.

"Ready a transport ship, I want field medics aboard for anyone injured at the Castle, we know what the First Order is capable of" General Organa handed out her orders quickly before turning and walking towards the unsuspecting blond mechanic stood awkwardly by the door.

"Thank you for your hard work" Sola gulped, unsure of what to do with such a compliment and merely nodded back at the smaller General. 

"I'm not sure what state that BB droid will be in, but I'd rather have a mechanic on board just in case" The way the small smile twitched at the woman's face told Sola she was hinting at something, something fairly obvious from the way she was wording things. 

Yet, what wasn't obvious to Sola, was that Leia saw and knew a lot more than she let on. She had seen the way the mechanic had looked at Poe, and the way the Commander had smiled back at her before his departure, she wasn't blind.

"If you're not too tired, I would like to grant you access onto the transport" 

Sola bit back a smile, someone shouldn't be that happy just because they were permitted to go pick up and look after a droid. Even if she was just part of the team doing it. "I-I'd love to, General".

Space was quieter than she remembered. Having only ever left atmosphere once, when on her way to D'Qar, Sola still wasn't used to the stillness outside the windows as they made their way towards the planet of Takodana, or the cold. The transport trailed only slightly behind the fleet of X-Wings, keeping out of the fight and away from harm. 

As much as she hated loud, crowded noises, the silence of space had never felt more cold while she sat waiting on their journey. It was deafening, even with the sound of the ship's engine and other people chatting amongst each other on board. Lizzy was at her side too, in her field medic gear, holding her friends hand silently. This was both of their first times off base since their arrival at the Resistance. 

"Do you think the castle will still be standing when we arrive?" Lizzy questioned quietly at her side, sorting through the bag of medical equipment with her empty hand. 

Sola shrugged, continuing to stare out the window "I'm not sure, I've never seen a castle before"

"Never?"

"Never, buildings on Tatooine are kind of small usually"

Lizzy chuckled, agreeing and shutting the bag to place it at her feet. "When we arrive things are gonna be loud and hectic, don't go too far away from the ship okay?".

Turning to her, Sola nodded, appreciating the advice since she had absolutely no idea how to handle herself on a battlefield. Even if it was more of a rescue mission. 

The ship fell silent all of a sudden. Dropping out of hyperspace momentarily to witness a red streak of death thunder past them in the distance. It looked big, dangerous, powerful, a weapon?

"That's the Republic" The General spoke up quietly, eyes wide, stress painting her features,

"Was, the Republic" Another officer corrected in shock.  
They were destroying planets, they possessed a weapon that had just erased a whole system in mere seconds and all anyone could do was watch in horror. Lizzy's hand in her own tightened while they both stared out of the window. How many lives had just been snuffed out, thousands, millions, in the blink of an eye? It was a sobering sight that reminded every single Resistance member on board what the First Order was capable of, and why they were fighting.

Just like that they were on routine again, jumping into light-speed without another word. There wasn't anything else to say.

They arrived out of light-speed not a moment later, the land mass sprawled out under their ship in a sea of green and blue. The climate was close to that of D'Qar from what she could see out of the window. Eyes wide, taking in the lake below as the Resistance squadrons dropped at one end of the blue water and proceeded to fly low and ascend onto the band of TIE fighters that were blasting everything in their sight to smithereens. Lovely. 

Poe took the lead, Black One was easy to spot even at a distance. Leading his pilots into the fray with loud cheering and clear instructions, water splashed up behind the fleet from the sheer force and power behind their engines. She could hear the commotion from the cockpit of the transport shuttle, the General standing at the door ready and waiting. He sounded like he was in his element, the tone of his voice and the glee when TIE's began blowing up around them making the mechanic smile to herself. They spun in flurries of skill and unity, raining down on the enemy so elegantly Sola couldn't help but watch and admire the battle from the limited view on the transport.

"Clear for landing General" A voice finally called from the cockpit as the dying died down soon after, causing the rest of the people on board to stand and scramble to the wide door, medical equipment in hand.

A golden plated droid, C-3PO stood at the General's side when the doors opened. A mass of stone and earth greeting them, courtesy of the First Order. White littered the ground, dead Stormtroopers standing out like sore thumbs. But they were people underneath, and the thought of seeing the death in their eyes under those white helmets was enough to make Sola feel sick.

She stumbled out of the ship, unsure of where to look beyond the burning, smoking rubble and the mass grave laid out before her blue eyes. Every rock had a fresh body, or at least a little blood to accompany it. The medics and ground support rushing past her didn't hesitate as she did, trained in their line of work to handle the sight.

This was war, Sola had to remind herself.

But there were parts of war she could never get used to. The mechanic had seen dead bodies before, one time. It was stuck within her brain like a sticky poisonous nectar that, no matter how many times you tried to wash it off, it never quite left you. This however, felt, was, different. Eyes scanning the scene for any sign of the droid she'd been tasked with finding and ensuring was still in one piece. The view of a pair of wide eyes caught her sight. 

Was that how she would look, were that the eyes her friends would see if they ever came across her body, would this war claim her life like it had so many others, in the Resistance or otherwise?! The mere idea chilled her to the bone and made her body shudder.

Dead eyes, wide in fear from the sight of death. A helmet lay discarded, having most likely fallen off with the power of blaster fire. The dead Stormtrooper- the dead person, a young man with olive skin and dark brown eyes. Blood splattered his face, running out of his nose, another streak disappearing down the line of his neck into his white uniform. She shouldn't look, but she had. And now she was staring at the corpse as it peered back at her, no life left behind the gaze of it's- his eyes. This had been a person, a living, breathing, human being. 

Hand resting upon the side of the transport, Sola gaged and heaved, bent over on herself while her body's shock demanded her to let go of whatever food still lay in her stomach. Luckily, nothing came, instead she shook her head in disbelief and took a few calming breaths to compose herself. 

"I know this is a lot....even for me, but are you okay?" A comforting hand rubbed her shoulder as Lizzy came to check up on her friend around the side of the ship. Having seen her run off pale as a sheet, the medic wanted to be sure she hadn't passed out from the sight that had greeted them upon landing. Even as someone who had experienced their fair share of bodies and gore, seeing so many dead people littering the ground, Lizzy herself had grimaced.

"I'm...I'm alright, thank you Liz" Though her face was still regaining it's colour, Sola smiled faintly at the taller woman hoping to ease her nerves. It was no use keeping the medic from her tasks right now, even if it was sweet for her to check up on Sola in her momentary struggle. There were more important things to attend to. "Just need a second" She added, her hand giving Lizzy's a reassuring squeeze before her dark skinned friend decided it was sufficient response and hurried away to attend to more of the wounded who needed it. 

"We'll be on our way soon, don't take too long" Was called after her as Lizzy rounded the corner.

Relief, "BB?" The little spherical droid bumped into her legs to snap Sola out of her uneasy thoughts. Instantly dropping to her knees Sola embraced him and rubbed her hands over the droids body as if to check him for any injuries. "BB! You're okay!" She grinned widely at him as he beeped frantically at her "I know, Poe's alive! He's okay too!" Nodding frantically she straightened his crooked antenna and ushered him aboard without another thought. Better to keep her mind off of the carnage that surrounded them, at least for now.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Poe was so worried about you" Imaging the glee and relief on the pilots face when he saw his precious droid again was filling Sola with warmth. 

The astromerch chirped, rolling onto the ship past the General who seemed to be speaking to someone important. An older man with grey hair, Han Solo maybe?

"Of course I was worried about you too" Sola replied quickly with a small smile once they got on board, keeping away to one corner as injured people were brought in around them. "I picked up on your transmission" She explained as the droid plugged itself into a small charging station, he beeped, impressed and glad it had worked out before complimenting her on her efforts of catching it, "don't mention it, I had some help".

When they landed back on D'Qar, the little droid was out of the transport so fast she couldn't even blink before he was gone. Rolling down the line of X-Wings through everyone's legs straight into the arms of Poe who greeted him enthusiastically and crouched down to meet him.

Sola wondered silently if Poe would ever be that happy to see her. A selfish thought she couldn't push away as she followed after the droid slowly.

X-Wing after X-Wing landed all around, their roaring engines shutting off one after another while more Resistance members than she'd ever seen before flooded the outside of the landing bay to greet the pilots and celebrate their success in the fight over the lake.

As much as it was a happy occasion to see, the sobering thought of what had been lost only hours prior was stuck at the back of the mechanic's mind. A whole system had been snuffed out, the Republic was almost extinct in the galaxy, and the First Order possessed a weapon one could hardly even compare to the Death Star any longer.

About to speak up and greet the grinning orange clad pilot from a few meters away, the Commander suddenly looked up, spotting someone a little ways away and running over to embrace the man she had never seen before. 

Was that Poe's jacket he was wearing? 

They spoke in hurried tones, smiling and exchanging words she didn't catch. What she did catch however, was the way Poe's bottom lip found its way in between his teeth for a split second. The sight made her take a step back, jaw clenching shut. 

Was she...jealous?

"Finn, meet Sola, Sola, this is the Finn I told you about" Poe turned his head to her suddenly and waved her over loudly, introducing them with a flurry of words once she was close enough.

"N-Nice to meet you...Finn. Poe told me what you did for him" The mechanic shifted on her feet, unsure of where to look, she suddenly felt like she had intruded on their reunion and didn't belong there, between Poe and Finn "Thank you".

Finn smiled in return, giving her a nod "I didn't know I was famous" he commented making Poe roll his eyes and let out a chuckle, "I need your help Poe. Now" Finn's tone shifted, urgent. Without another word Poe lead them towards the command centre to the General's side, Sola followed quietly with BB-8.

The mechanic wasn't sure if she had permission to be in the control centre as they discussed Finn's knowledge of the base he'd worked at, which turned out to be called 'Starkiller Base'. An odd, sadly, fitting name for the atrocities it was capable of. No one had yet to throw her from the room however, so for now, the blond remained at the back, near the door once again. Arms crossed, leaning against the wall while she listened. Apparently he needed to get onto the base to rescue his friend, a girl named Rey who had helped him get off Jakku and get BB-8 on its way back to the Resistance. She must be important to him from the way he had described her to the General and Poe so passionately.

To everyone's disappointment it turned out the part of the map BB8 had turned out to be carrying on Jakku, had only been a small section and was on it's own, pretty much useless. General Organa seemed the most disappointed out of all of them, seeing as it was Luke Skywalker who turned out to be her brother, that she was trying to locate, Sola wasn't surprised and could only watch with a worried frown. It seemed even whatever Han Solo was trying to tell her, wasn't helping the General much with her internal strife. 

"You alright?" They were waiting on Snap Wexley to return from his recon mission that he'd went on to scope out the base and verify what Finn was saying, when Poe leaned against the wall beside her, copying her posture. 

"I-I should probably get back to work" Was all Sola could say. She was feeling nervous around him again, after their quite frankly, intimate, shared hug and from the way she'd seen him interact with Finn. The mechanic suddenly felt out of place, she wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be in the grubby little storage room, fixing droids and doing what she had signed up to do. Not hang around and take up the valuable time of the hero of the Resistance and stand around the control centre when she could do nothing for them. 

Poe didn't share her sentiment and shook his head, his tongue running over his split bottom lip "You're allowed to be here Sola, no one's gonna throw you out" He assured turning his head away to peer at the General who was speaking to Connix by the communications station.

"I should be fixing things, not...standing around here" As much as she wanted to remain, and hear what was happening, what they were planning. Rose wasn't here, Lizzy wasn't here, not even Lazslo was in the room. So why should she be?

"You did good, with BB8" The pilot continued to defend her when her own thoughts could not, eying her carefully out of the corner of her eyes. She deserved a break, in his eyes, and deserved to stand here and listen to what would happen to the Resistance just like anyone else.

"It didn't matter much...in the end" Sola objected shaking her head and staring down at her feet "Either way we had to wait for conformation before anyone could leave the base, I-"

"It's because of you and Lazslo that we managed to get to Takodana so fast. If you hadn't picked up on the coordinates it would've taken us longer to ready the squadrons, don't sell yourself short Sola" Realising now why she had looked so dejected since she'd traced down BB-8's signal, Poe turned his head towards the blond and frowned, eyebrows drawn together.

"What you did, it gave us precious extra minutes Sola, you worked hard" He went on, in his head, begging her to look at him to see how serious he meant his statement. When she still didn't look at him, Poe lifted his hand and tenderly pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Quickly her eyes found his again and he smiled. 

"You can go back to fixing your droids once we save the Resistance base" He was giving her permission and reason to stay, ones she couldn't argue against. 

"We?" 

"I, us, everyone" Poe corrected with a small laugh, "I'll pilot, and you stay and be my good luck charm, sweetheart". 

Heart hammering in her ears, Sola's blue eyes widened momentarily before she glanced away to the side of his shoulders. What did that mean?! Since when did she bring any sort of luck? From the moment they'd met, by complete coincidence, Sola had fallen into trouble and accidents one after another. Whatever he said, he couldn't have meant it. 

"You're all red again, something I said?" 

Fuck you Poe Dameron.

"I-I'm not..." Biting at her bottom lip the mechanics head spun, growing hotter until she felt her whole body vibrating from the heat. He just had to notice the colour on her face didn't he.

"I'm...not a good luck charm, a-and you need to stop calling me that..." The skin on her lip was beginning to sting with how hard she was biting down, threatening to tare open if she put anymore force behind it. 

Poe revelled in her distress with a chuckle, shuffling closer and bumping his shoulders with her, "Calling you what, Sweetheart?".  
There it was again, taring at her insides like a rabid animal and making her breath hitch ever so slightly. If he went on like this she was sure she wouldn't be able to breathe for much longer. 

"T-That!" For as sure as she wanted to sound, instead, the stutter made her sound like a little pouting child. It was embarrassing. 

"What should I call you then, Honey, maybe-?" 

She felt sick, disgusting, it reminded her of Cas and Poe caught the pale look on her face, quickly continuing on the list in his head before she could remain stuck on the unpleasant thought for much longer.

"Baby, then?" Her face grew hotter as his tone lowered, mumbling the following words into her ear as if they were secrets for only the two of them to hear.

"Darling" Sola shuddered head dropping forward slightly and ever so slightly in his direction to hear better, "Sweet thing, Cupcake, Sunshine" he went on without remorse and Sola opened her mouth to argue only to be cut off.

"Poe I-"

"Beautiful" Any further argument stuck in her throat like a burning rock, head whipping around to look at him and see if he was laughing. He wasn't, but Poe was smirking, smirking the way that turned up one end of his mouth a little more than the other side and made his teeth shine from behind his lips, albeit softly.

He was so close she could feel his breath against her lips.

"D-Don't...don't joke like that, it's not funny" This felt like something that shouldn't be happening, not to her, and not now. Poe Dameron should not be looking at her like that with his deep, endless eyes, and calling her beautiful. She wasn't.

"Who says I'm joking?" He was being completely serious and all Sola could hear in her head was her own voice. Screaming at her to tell him to never waste his breath on her again, that he had hit his head on something in his cockpit or gone blind, maybe it was carbon sickness. There was no way Sola, idiot mechanic, thief from Tatooine, was beautiful in anyone's eyes. Especially his, not when he could have just about anyone in the Resistance with the snap of his fingers. 

"I...I'm not-" 

"You are" Eying her closely, Poe would not let her win this argument, or deflect it, not when he was being dead serious and wanted her to know that. He'd caught she way she turned down almost every compliment anyone had directed at her, including him. Ignoring their existence, changing the subject, pretending she hadn't heard them. Poe wasn't stupid, he knew why Sola was doing it, and he wanted her to face it for once in her life, instead of running and hiding.  
He had, and probably would continue, to call many people beautiful, but every time he had said it, Poe Dameron meant it, and Sola deserved to understand that.

"I'm serious, Sola, even if you don't believe it" She glanced down at his moving lips and then away so she couldn't think of the way they might feel pressed against her own. 

In her mind, he was only saying this to be nice, to be a good friend, to make her feel better. Poe would do it for anyone, or at least, anyone he cared about. And that should be enough for her, but it wasn't. Right now, it wasn't and Sola wanted it to mean more.  
Desperately, pathetically, selfishly, she wanted Dameron to direct such words only ever at her again. 

His voice soft, gravely against the side of her ear, when he asked:

"Can I kiss you?" 

Her heart stopped in her chest and Poe thought she looked beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was such a pleasure to write, I'm sorry about the cliffhanger but I promise it'll be worth it.


	11. The Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Poe's heart-stopping question ever be answered? We can only hope.

Everything else around them stopped, time slowed, the rush of air didn't exist and neither did the noises of the people and machines working in the Resistance base. It was just them, the pilot, and the mechanic who had fallen over his droid when they met upon her arrival on D'Qar. Two people so different, so similar in so many ways neither could comprehend. Here they were, staring at each other in the most opposite ways possible.

Standing stiff, wide eyed, unmoving, in utter shock and with no air in her lungs, Sola choked "W...What?!" Hoarse but soft her voice quivered out, unsure of what she'd heard was even real. 

Had she imagined it, dreamt it? No, not even in her dreams could she conjure up this scenario. 

She had dreamt about Poe Dameron before, of course, whispering to her in her dreams with comfort and praise, holding her under the starlight while he told her of all the adventures he wanted to take her on. But not once, could she have put together this scene in her head. The way he was staring at her, the way he was staring at her lips like they were the water ready to quench him in an endless desert. 

And though Sola had also imagined what it might be like to kiss him, right now her heart couldn't handle the thought of doing it. So it reacted the only way it could, by denying it. 

"Can I kiss you?" He repeated easily, his dark eyes never leaving her face, taking in every single reaction, every twitch of her eyebrows, her cheeks, the corners of her mouth and the muscles in her eyelids, Poe didn't want to miss any of it. The turmoil in her brain was splayed out across all her features, and as much as he just wanted to swoop her up into his arms, he feared she'd bolt if he as much as moved one inch in her direction.

She wanted to cry, scream, run away and bury herself deep into the Tatooine desert sand where no one could find her. Unluckily, luckily, there was no where to run from him now. Her feet would not allow such an act at the moment, it felt downright wrong to even think about it. 

She was shellshocked. Commander Poe Dameron wanted to kiss her. HER.

"Don't do that" the eventual, sad, conclusion she had come to was that he was toying with her. Flirting for the sake of either his own amusement, or to make her feel better, neither made her feel any better, and neither stopped the tears from welling in her eyes. Sola wanted it to mean something, something she doubted Poe, or anyone for that matter, could ever feel about her. 

Holding back, then failing to, a shuddering breath, Sola creased her eyebrows and she repeated herself again "Please, don't...don't do that" She didn't mean the kiss, she meant every intention behind it and Poe knew without needing to ask her to clarify.

But he still asked, because he wanted to hear it from her lips, from the tone of her soft, soothing voice, "Do what?".

"Mess-" The mechanic choked back her tears "Mess with me, p-please".

He didn't want to see her like this, upset and torn apart from her own lies. It hurt him to witness this but he needed her to realise herself, that what she was thinking, was wrong. 

"Do you remember the time in the forest, you said it was the first time you'd ever been in one" Poe started, gaze unwavering, determination and affection burning in his veins.

She didn't answer but he knew she understood, "The way you looked at the trees, at the stars" his calloused hand lifted slowly towards her face, only slightly grazing her right cheek as if he was scared she might break under his touch.

"The way you look at droids, at BB after you fixed his antenna" That made a smile twitch at her lips, a tear slipping from the inner corner of her eye that caught against his fingers. 

"I think that's beautiful" The pilots confession hung in the air like a thick fog, he was nervous, maybe more than she was, but he was hiding it too well for her to pick up on in her panicked state. Did she even like him like he did her? Was she disgusted by the idea of kissing him?! Poe wasn't completely sure, but he'd started now and he wasn't going to stop until he had said everything he had been dying to. 

"The way you laugh at things, and then try to hide that you did" Voice remaining low, his hand fully cupped her cheek upon realising she wasn't going to vanish just yet. "The way you suddenly have the nerve to tease me back sometimes and then try to cover it up".

"That's beautiful to me" She didn't have it in her to say anything yet, she feared she may never be able to speak again after this. Everything this man was saying to her...it meant something, something not even her mind could hide from, because it was set in concrete reality. They both knew that.

"The way you cradled my mothers ring in your hands like it was the greatest treasure in the universe, and the way you touched my hair that night" He was gnawing at his still bruised lip again like she had been doing previous, anticipation and nerves gathering in the forefront of his brain.

Poe didn't know who had broken her heart in the past, who had toyed with her emotions or made her feel this insecure about so many aspects of her life. Of herself. But he so desperately wanted to take it all away and replace it with everything he could offer her. Wanted to chase away the ghosts of her demons and erect the tallest pillars of steel so that she could embrace every single piece of him, and of herself, with pride.

"Can I kiss you?" He repeated one final time, he meant it, and they both knew it.

Blank. Nothing. Emptiness. 

Nothing remained in her brain, anytime she thought she had managed to string together a coherent thought, and answer, even a word, it was gone. The chasm inside her brain was endless, a void. He meant it, and not as a joke, or as a pity, or as a comfort. He meant it in the way she had never even let herself imagine it could. 

Relief flooded every cell in her body until it felt like jelly.   
Was it physically possible for a human to turn into a puddle? It felt like it.

Wordless, thoughtless, Sola gave the smallest nod of her head and it took everything not to cry. 

"Say it" It was a plea, a selfish one just for him.

"Please, Poe...yes"

It was all Poe needed. A breath left through his nose that he hadn't known he was holding, before the widest, most painful grin that almost split his bottom lip in two, spread over his face and he threw his face, and lips, forward to collide softly, but strongly, with her own.

Or so he'd hoped.

They were a hairs width apart when the door beside their heads slid open and Snap Wexley rushed into the room returning from his recon-mission, out of breath and sweating from the exhortation of just having ran his way from his ship, down the halls, and all the way into the Command centre.

The spell was broken, Sola fell away into the depths of doubt, away from his hand and his touch before his mouth could reach her, and she was gone within a step, out of the room, down the hallway and out of his sight. Of anyone's sight. 

Poe heaved a pained sigh. The only thing echoing, repeating over and over in his mind were the last words she'd managed to ghost over his lips before she disappeared, 

"Come back alive Poe".

A promise. One he intended to keep on his end.

"Breathe, then tell me again what happened" Rose needed to hear it again to even begin to understand what Sola had been rambling about since she entered the mechanic's storage room where she had been working. The girl sounded insane, spewing words in the wrong order and panicking her breaths out like there wasn't enough air.

"Sit down" Rose placed a hand on her shoulder as she pushed forward the small chair from the back room. Sola sat slowly by her instruction, pulling her hair from her ponytail so she could run her shaking hand through it.

"He...the Commander, Poe, Dameron" Her mind was going fifty miles an hour, stars forming on the edges of her vision but she went on with another long breath in and out, "He almost, he said, he said that-" 

Rose shook her head, crouching down in front of her friend to look up at her face "Slow down, from the start Sola" She instructed gently, her hand coming over the blond's knee to remind her that she was here, to ground her in the present.

"Poe, we were talking. Before, in the command centre" She tried again, recounting her steps like the scenes in a movie, "He said I shouldn't doubt myself, my skill, with finding BB8" 

"You shouldn't, you're a good mechanic" Rose agreed with a small smile that made Sola want to hug her tightly.

"Lazslo did most of the work" Sola shook her head, stopping herself from arguing more so she could continue her story of events. "Anyway h-he" Holding back, she tried to summarise in the simplest words she could muster. Rose paid close attention.

"He said I was beautiful, he said a lot of nice things..." Of course he did, he was a Resistance Hero, be probably gave pep talks every Monday morning to those who needed it. Again, she didn't feel special. 

Rose waited, agreeing in her mind, and suddenly growing in inclination as to where this was going.

"He...he wanted to, h-he asked...he asked to kiss me. Me!? Can you believe that?!" Sola laughed a short laugh that made her head fly back for a moment, astonishment and bewilderment swirling through her mind and through her voice at her own words and realisation once again, that what had just happened, was in fact, real.

"I believe that" The answer was blunt, honest. Poe was many things, but he wasn't a liar, and he wouldn't hurt anyone he cared about intentionally, Paige would back her up if Rose ever voiced that thought. He was a good guy.

"Why me?" Voice growing small again, Sola retreated into the seat with a heaved sigh, her hand running through her hair once more to pull the smaller strands from her face. She was tired, exhausted almost, from the events unfolding in the last two days, sleep was catching up to her, or rather, the lack thereof. 

"Because it's you" The smaller, dark haired mechanic replied sitting back onto her knees "He likes you, cares about you Sola, anyone with two eyes can see that" She too had seen the way Poe had acted around her blond friend when they had interacted. The way he had teased and grinned at her at the bar that night when they were playing card games, it was obvious.

"But I'm not-" Sola toyed with the ends of her hair, when it was down it reached down the small of her back, long enough to catch on the backrest of the old rusty seat she was perched on. 

"Special, or brave, or confident, or heroic" The list could go on but she stopped there, she didn't want to sound like she wanted pity or attention for the things she thought about herself. 

"You're you" the warmth in Rose's voice was unmissable "That's enough, and it should always be enough to the right person" she wasn't that experienced in matters of love herself, but Rose knew what self doubt looked like and Sola held onto heaps of it.

"But this is Poe, I-I don't understand why he would-?!" It was impossible to fathom in her brain.

"You don't have to understand it, just, accept it, embrace it, let him in".

Maybe Rose had hit her head on something too.

"Do you think they'll make it, that he'll make it back alive?" Sola was staring out past the door, onto the distant landing pads outside where she could just barely see an array of X-Wings lifting off into the air.

"What did I say before about Black Squadron? They always come back" And Rose was right, somehow her optimism was always right.


	12. Touchdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drumroll for the moment we've all been hoping for.

She couldn't take the wait, the silence. As soon as the ships had left D'Qar atmosphere it was like all of the Rebel base were simultaneously holding their breath. It felt like torture, just to sit there, working, while Rose had been called away somewhere to help the other maintenance crew members, only for Sola to remain alone with her thoughts. The mechanic had tried doing some work on a droid, the C-3PO unit, with a red arm she needed to replace, but not even that had done any good. It wouldn't matter if the base was about to be destroyed, the First Order were charging their weapon, and the next target was their system.

Maybe she should go find Lizzy, just in case. Give her friend a last hug. As much as she trusted Poe and the other Resistance pilots, Sola couldn't help the pessimistic idea that they all might die today rake its way through her brain. 

Before she knew it, Sola was standing outside of the command centre again, nervously playing with the zip on her jumpsuit. She wasn't going to be rude again and intrude on the space without being invited in, she shouldn't even be standing outside of the door right now. But it was so hard not to try to overhear what was happening inside. Were they winning? Was Poe alive? Or was everyone already dead and the weapon was charging up to turn them all into stardust? 

Would she ever get to see her Sister again? Grace. She missed Grace, even if they had parted after a heated screaming match. Sola missed her little stubborn sister, maybe if it came down to it. Either of them could die today.

A body hurried into the room past her, the second the doors slid open the commotion inside was heard clearly. Poe's name was mentioned several times, someone was shouting over the com link at his reckless manoeuvre into Starkiller base, it sounded like Jessika's voice. Then there was silence again, before a loud applause erupted and Poe's yell of glee filled her ears. The door slid shut again.

They'd done it, though they'd regrettably lost half of their fleet along the way, Starkiller base was collapsing. The Resistance was safe. Thank the Maker.

Sola didn't wait around to hear anymore, she didn't need to. All she needed to do was sprint her way back outside to where Poe and the rest of the squadrons would land and stare up at the endless expanse of the sky, waiting.

Lizzy joined her with the rest of the medical staff as well as most of the Resistance mechanics, readying themselves for anyone injured or anything damaged. Sola should probably help with that, but the only thing on her mind right now was Poe Dameron. Seeing him.

Black One had only taken minor hits from what she could tell, the worst being the layer of grey ash, probably from smoke or a fire, that was dusting it. As soon as the ship touched down, its landing gear deployed and cockpit hatch opening up to reveal the top of the Commander's curly haired head, the blond mechanic was running again.

She didn't care about anything else, not of who saw, or would speak about the way her face contorted into the most genuine adoring smile a person could have. Not of the way she was racing towards the famous ship and its pilot as fast as her short legs would allow it. And not of the way that the blond was climbing up the ladder which had been pushed out against the ship for Poe, only to be instead, be occupied by her own two feet as she practically flew up to the top to reach him before he could even begin to make his way down.

Poe was barely standing from his seat, helmet under one arm, when Sola was in front of his eyes at the top of the ladder. He didn't mind much either, beyond the initial surprise of her speed, and the dexterity she possessed which he had forgotten existed until he remembered the story of her years as a small thief. The pilot had been thinking of her the entire flight home, and with the way her hair had been hurried back into her long ponytail, several strands sticking out like she had been running her hand through it with worry since he'd left, only to tie it back last minute, told him Sola had been thinking of him too.

Her eyes were wide, so wide they threatened to pop from her skull, reflecting the light of the midday sun across her iris' as she looked him over to make sure he was not only uninjured, but real. That they'd actually made it and that thought alone made her heart hammer in her chest a million miles per hour. 

"You're staring, Sweetheart",   
Poe couldn't help the grin that spread over his face, the cheering and clapping of the other people around him slowly melting into the back of his mind as he stared up at her from his cockpit. She was an inch or two above him when she stood at the top of the ladder like that, and he could see all of her face because of it. She was like a burning beacon in his eyes, one he never wanted to let out of his sight again.

"Please, Kiss me Poe Dameron"

He didn't need to be told twice, dropping the helmet onto his seat without a second thought, Poe's hands cupped around her cheeks and into the hair around the side of her face, pulling her down to his height pressing her as close as his damned flight-suit would allow and into a searing kiss that stole the breath from both of their lungs.

He tasted like everything and nothing she could have ever imagined.

It was a kiss of relief, of joy and happiness, and of so much pent up emotion neither of them could help the grin from widening on their lips. 

Sola was inexperienced, nervous the second he had connected their lips she hovered on the line of movement but wasn't sure how to respond for the first few seconds. He was so warm, so strong against her mouth she was sure Poe had kissed hundreds of people. But her? Not so much.

"Relax, Sweetheart" A murmur from Poe against her lips snapped her out of it, eyelids fluttering shut as she relaxed and eased her lips against his own. Better, they melted together instantly, Poe taking the lead, easing her into a soft sigh against his lips that made his heart stutter for a second.

Her head was light, her world spinning like she had just taken a hand full of painkillers Everything, all of her senses spiked, rushing into overdrive with the flood of endorphins raging through her arteries, through her heart which thudded loudly, relentlessly, unforgivingly, against her rib cage.

The mechanic's own, now trembling, hands found their way into his hair. Weaving through it like she was making sure he actually existed beneath her lips. He did. Before her right hand found his cheek and grazed against his stubble there. She hadn't even noticed the way it was rough against her face as they were kissing, it sort of tickled actually, and then she giggled and pulled away for a breath they both desperately needed. 

"You...need to shave" Were Sola's first words, and with the way they came out crooked and out of breath, Poe laughed, not letting go of her face just yet.

"Maybe then I wouldn't look like an old man, huh?" 

"I...." Turning her eyes away to look over how her hand was running through his hair, Sola gulped "I've never kissed anyone before t-that was...".

Poe was letting her touch him, and she had just kissed him. Kriffing hell this was-

"Your first kiss?!" The pilot was stunned, blinking at her as he comprehended the idea of no one having ever kissed those soft lips of hers. They'd gone red with how hard he'd kissed her, looking as if they were begging him to do so again. He would have obliged instantly if he wasn't so surprised at that moment.

How the hell had no one kissed Sola before!?

"H...How the- shit, was it good? I mean it was good, I know I'm a good kisser but-" It was his turn to ramble while she smiled down at him in amusement. Who knew she could make Poe Dameron nervous. 

"It was amazing" Sola corrected him gently, grazing her thumb over the side of his cheek, over the scar which was forming there.

"You should have told me sooner! I could've made it more special, with candles or something"   
Sola shook her head as he used his hands to push their foreheads together, resting his burning skin on her own.

"It was perfect...thank you" 

She'd just kissed Poe Dameron in his own precious ship, for the first time in her life, and it was perfect.

That made him snort, why was she thanking him?  
"You don't have to thank me for kissing you Sola, it's my pleasure".

BB-8 made himself known from below the two of them, peeping manically for their attention until Poe released her to look down at him over the side of his X-Wing. "We got it Buddy, we hear you" He rolled his eyes with slight irritation from how the droid had interrupted their little moment. 

Sola didn't mind as much, she needed a moment to breathe away from Poe's face. Her own face was burning and she found it a relief to have access to some much needed fresh air again.

"Of course you get a kiss too BB!" Jumping down to from the ladder within a heartbeat, the mechanic was on her knees and pressed a small kiss to the top of the astromerch's white head. It chirped happily, spinning around as if to show off in front of Poe while the pilot could only huff and make his way down the ladder to join them.

"Don't rub it in, otherwise you'll be running diagnostics all night tonight bud" Poe threatened playfully, one hand on his hip and the other coming to rest on the back of Sola's shoulder as he watched his beloved droid boast.

"You wouldn't do that to him?" She gasped in disbelief, grinning up at Poe to indicate she understood it was a joke. Mostly.

"Watch me". BB-8 didn't make another sound.

"Poe, the Falcon just landed" Snap turned their heads, gesturing to Poe down the landing strip to the ship which was lowering it's ramp. 

That was the famous Millennium Falcon? It was a pretty ship, somehow. Worn, old, but pretty. Sola could appreciate a fine piece of machinery when she saw it.

The curly haired pilot who was addressed knew what that meant and quickly ran after Snap, "Finn" he muttered under his breath, hurrying to reach his injured friends side. Sola decided she didn't need to interrupt for now, staying with BB-8 for another moment before they headed towards the command centre together, Dameron joining up with them again soon after they arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the future chapters will be a lot longer than these shorter ones, I just thought I'd warn people in case anyone is bothered by the inconsistency of chapter lengths. Hope you're having fun! This chapter made me screAm on the inside.


	13. High Kick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When practicing her kicks with Poe, where he just needs to tease her some more. The General decides to task the Sola and the Resistance Pilot with an important task.

They had given Poe the rest of the week off once Rey had left to find the General's brother, the famous Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. It came as a surprise to all, including Sola, that the old R2 unit she'd tinkered on previously, without success, had powered itself back on all of a sudden and revealed to them the rest of the map they had been searching for.

Since the destruction of Starkiller, things had been relatively quiet on the surface. Finn, though he had been injured by Kylo Ren and his saber, was stable and in a Bacta-suit slowly recovering. It was unfortunate the mechanic hadn't been able to see him or talk to him properly since he'd joined the Resistance to retrieve Rey, but she hoped that time would come once he was fully recovered. She'd asked Lizzy to keep her updated everyday on his condition, even if her friend thought it was a little unnecessary, she obliged. Sola could see how worried Poe had been over the former Stormtrooper, it was clear the two had developed a close bond since they'd escaped the grasp of the First Order together, and whenever the pilot spoke of the incident, Sola couldn't help but feel the need to give Finn a hug. 

It was hard to even imagine growing up in such conditions, ripped away from their family at a young age to serve under a tyrannical regime where order and fear become more important than the welling and lives of the people. It made the incident with all the dead Stormtroopers she'd seen at Maz's Castle even more harrowing. To know they had no choice, and were brainwashed practically from birth.

Wait, since when had she thought about giving people hugs?! Sola wasn't a touchy feely sort of person, usually, up until now at least. Now all she could think about was embracing her friends, and thanking the stars they were still alive. 

"The scar" 

She'd spotted it the moment they had met outside of the control centre when Poe had returned from Jakku, together with his other wounds. It was still there, small, but prominent on the right upper side of his cheekbone. She couldn't help but wonder if it'll ever fade completely.

Poe turned eyes away from her legs which had been shuffling themselves into her trained fighting stance to cock and eyebrow at her in question.

The mechanic, who stood dressed in her training gear composed of a grey tank top and tight fitting black leggings, replied by lifting a hand and pointing it at her own cheek in emphasis of where it lay on his face, the pilot caught on with a shrug, his own finger coming to skim it with his fingertips.

"What about it?" He mused, unsure of why Sola was so suddenly pointing out the fading injury in the middle of their little training session together. Poe was teaching her how to kick again today.

"N-Nothing it, it just looks...good on you, I guess" She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling foolish for having pointed it out only to give such an awkward reason. 

It looked good on him?! What kind of line was that?!

"You think?" His confusion turned smug, humming to himself as if he thought and knew more than he let on while Sola stood, growing nervous and sweaty at his gaze. She shouldn't have said anything.

"Hmm....m-makes you look sort of.." What was the right word here, she needed to pick carefully.

"Handsome?"

"Roguish" Sola corrected, avoiding his eyes so he couldn't pick out the way her mind had instantly agreed with his guess. Definitely, but he looked already handsome without any scars or injuries. A cocky flyboy pilot didn't need to know that however.

"You like the Dangerous type, Sweetheart?" That was defiantly not the reaction she had intended from him, her face burst into flames as she raised her right leg forward to deliver a quick kick to the side of the hanging punching bag. 

Don't look at him, don't look at him, don't-

"That's not what-" 

A hand lifted itself to settle under her ankle, keeping it upright against the bag while Poe took a confident step closer into her personal space. He felt like teasing her, the cocky smirk on his face gave him away "You didn't need to say it, with how red you are, I can tell".

Balancing herself against his grip for a moment while she tried to remain upright on only one leg, Sola glanced up at him only to swallow what felt a rock in her throat. "I-I'm not....I don't think-, Commander Dameron I-".

He interrupted her with a loud laugh, taking in the way her neck was now starting to turn red while she was babbling to herself was a delight in his eyes, "Really, still calling me that? Even after we-"

She could not let him finish that sentence, the reminder of their shared...kiss, it was-...too much. The memory of it all making her heart clench. Sola had been thinking about it day and night, every time Poe smiled at her, anytime she sat to eat with her friends, and anytime she was alone, in silence, at night and had nothing but her thoughts for company.   
Brain swirling with memories on how it had felt to melt against his warm lips, how his hands felt holding her burning cheeks steady. And how he grinned against the kiss just like she had. 

Since then a couple of days had passed, Poe had been too busy repairing his ship as well as briefing and planning with General Organa on the next move of the Rebel base, to speak to her about it. They couldn't stay here for much longer, the enemy knew of their location now and it was only a matter of time until they gathered themselves to attack. Only today had he came to find her for an impromptu training lesson, and as soon as her eyes had found his, Sola's heart was pounding.

"Poe" The word was like butter on her tongue, seeping into the air smoothly yet sharply to interrupt the rest of whatever he was planning on saying. "Why did..." The blond stopped herself there, biting down on her tongue before she wrenched her ankle from his grasp, stumbling back onto her two feet with a breath. 

Dameron remained silent, watching her with a slight grin, waiting for her to finish whatever thoughts were on her mind "Hm?".

It was silent again, nothing but he drumming in her ears and the beating of her heart threatening to spill from her chest. Sola was sweating, keeping her eyes away while she tried to gather herself to speak. Somehow the task seemed impossible. Air, she needed air.

Taking a step away, she pretended to need a moment to stretch. Taking deep breaths as she bend down to touch her toes, the back of her knees burning slightly from under her skin. Regretting her action of even starting her question, never mind now needing a way to finish it, Sola played with another approach, arms raising above her head, clasping together while her back arched. 

"N-Nevermind" Clearing her throat as if to clear the anticipation from the air, Sola looked him over as he remained, waiting and watching her silently. Whenever her words tumbled out like this, unfinished, broken up, Poe never seemed to mind it. He never once called her out for it, became annoyed, or demanded for her to finish them. For what it was worth, Sola would be forever grateful for him for that alone.

"C-Can we practice my footwork a bit more, I still feel like it's not working" As much as she'd been practicing kicking the dummy, it never quite yielded to her foot, it barely moved most times and the only affect she would notice was the ache in her feet after.

Poe hummed simply, using a hand to push away her practice target as she watched in confusion. "Try kicking me".

"What? I-I'm not gonna kick you P- Commander" Clearing her throat she looked around the room for a split second to let the slip up settle. There was no way she could go around kicking Commanders in the face.

"It's the best way for me to see how you'd handle a real opponent, as well as feel the power behind your legs" Poe chuckled, shrugging off her concern without fear for any pain she might induce "Besides, it's not like I'll feel it".

Okay, so he wanted a challenge then? Sola could give him that. Frowning at his rude remark at her lack of strength, the mechanic took up her stance. Her dominant foot taking a back step to line itself up while Poe got into position in front of her, arms held out loosely in front of him to catch her kick when he needed to.

If that's how he wanted it, the mechanic, however small and meek she might seem, would give him it. Putting all her strength behind her leg, it swung forward and up into she side of his elbow with a dull thud. The small pain that echoed through her momentarily was forgotten with the cocky grin on Poe's face wavering for a split second before he let out a chuckle.

"You've definitely gotten better, but you need to angle your foot better, and kick higher" He instructed as her foot settled back down. "If you're aiming for someone's sides, use the back of your foot, and if you're kicking them straight on, use the side. Make it quick and retract your foot quickly otherwise-"

Easier said than done. But Sola attempted it still while he continued to ramble on instructions, angling the side of her foot to kick him head on, aiming for his chin. Her leg stretched out full, body leaning back in order to make up for her short stature to reach him.

Poe couldn't help the laugh that escaped him as he grabbed a hold of her leg just before it could connect with his body, "Otherwise your opponent can do that" He gave her leg a strong tug that made her need to bounce forward on the free foot that was still keeping her body upright. 

Grumbling under her breath Sola gave a short nod, only then did the smug pilot release her.

"Again"

This time her kick connected, though unluckily with the palm of his hand rather than his shoulder as he took a step back, catching her ankle once again and twisting it until the the only thing the blond could do to relieve the pressure was to fall sideways onto her ass with a huff.

"More power, you have to make it hurt Sweetheart, otherwise your opponent will just use your body against you" With a smirk still prominent on his face, the pilot released her foot finally. It connected with a bounce back on the mat under her while Sola leaned forward to soothe the ache in her ankle his strong grip had left behind. 

He looked taller like this, standing, looming above her like a great shadow, his strong arms crossed over his torso while he grinned down at her. 

To wipe that smug, cocky grin from his face, Sola took it upon herself to swipe his legs out from under him with one quick move. As much as she was satisfied when he came tumbling down, Poe was caught off guard it seemed, what she didn't calculate into her equation was that he would be falling forward instead of backwards. Right onto her.

"Shit, s-sorry!" Regret overcame her as Poe landed on top of her with a grunt. His arms catching most of his weight as he settled above her, their legs tangled and chests pressed together.   
They mirrored each other's faces, both as surprised as each other in the result of her brash action spurred on by annoyance. 

"Smart, but you sure you can handle the outcome?" 

No, Kriff, no she could definitely not handle how close his face was hovering to her own, and how her body ignited itself with a burning passion as his own weight pressed down on her almost completely. 

She was sure of she thought hard enough she could even feel his- let's not finish that thought.

Could she- would she-, was she allowed to kiss Poe Dameron again? Sola certainly wanted to, especially right now. Yet she feared crossing the line no matter how expectantly Poe was smirking down at her. He hadn't made a move to get off of her yet, even in the awkward position. That had to mean something...right?

"Lothcat got your tongue?" Practically a purr, Poe leaned down closer, stealing all the air right out from under her nose as he observed her face growing redder by the second from under his thick lashes. He knew exactly what we was doing, yet just couldn't help himself with teasing her. The mechanic's reactions were simply too exquisite.

Any words, any smart mouthed retort, any air was caught in her throat by a gulp. Swallowing down the demand for oxygen, Sola tried to avoid his very existence by laying her head back completely and turning it away to stare at the far wall on her left, it was old and worn, crumbling in several places with strong roots protruding like veins from under skin, it was a strong reminder that most of the D'Qar base was underground. 

A little childish of her perhaps? She wouldn't argue with that. But what else could she do besides avoid him somehow. Her head had gotten so hot it was threatening to implode on itself.

"Can I ki-"

She was about to die of a heart attack-

The old rusted door slid open from the corner of the room, snapping both their heads up in its direction, Pava stood staring at them for a beat before she hid a laugh behind her hand and cleared her throat "General wants you" She averted her gaze, cleared her throat again, before continuing "Both of you, in her office".

Poe was the first on his feet, jumping up, one hand running through his hair while the other reached down to help Sola to up onto her own two feet. He didn't seem half as flustered as she was, but Sola picked up on the slight pink tint on his stubble covered cheeks. The thought of a flustered Poe Dameron made the smaller mechanic bite back a smile. It was cute.

Wait did Jessika say the General wanted to see them?! As in, the both of them?!   
She was about to be thrown out of the Resistance because she was distracting Commander Dameron, that had to be it.

"Got it Pava, you can go now" The female pilot hovered by the door for another second as she stood watching the two retrieving their belongings from the floor and wipe away the sweat they'd worked up from the training with a small, worn towel, before she disappeared with a shake and a laugh. Poe could only roll his eyes, there would be consequences for this later he imagined. Jessika and Snap would most certainly tease him about the compromising position Pava had found him whenever they got the chance.

The Resistance pilot could practically smell the nervous anxiety rolling off of the mechanic at his aside as they walked towards the direction of where General Organa's office lay. Sola hadn't spoken a word since they'd left the training room, her gaze firmly rooted on the concrete path ahead of them.

"You have nothing to worry about, I'm sure whatever you're thinking right now" Sola turned her eyes up at him with a bowed head, unsure, worried for her security on the base even if she had been given no reason to doubt it. 

"It's not as bad as it looks" Poe finished, flashing her a reassuring smile as they turned another corner together.

"What does it look like?" he caught the mumble of her voice, his own gaze dropping to think for a second. Poe too, wasn't quite sure what it looked like, what it meant, or more specifically, what they meant. Together. Neither had dared to discuss the subject around their kiss, and he too was starting to worry about it slightly.

"I guess we'll find out" It wasn't what she meant, but the subject was dropped regardless as they entered the small room of the General's office.

Leia stood staring at a map as they entered, her gaze hard as if she had been concentrating on something for a long while.

"Commander Dameron, Miss Naberrie" The General spoke with a nod of her head that was briskly returned by the two Resistance members who had entered the room.

Naberrie? So that was her full name then, Poe swore he'd heard the name somewhere.  
Strangely, it suited her. 

"General, you called for us?" Commander Dameron spoke up beside her first, hands clasped behind his back respectfully as he waited for an answer. 

"As we all know by now, our base has been compromised. We are in the process of scouting several systems and planets for a new, suitable location" The smaller woman began, circling her desk as she explained.

"One of 3-P0's droid agents has been reported missing and has become unresponsive on it's mission to scout one of the aforementioned planets" she stopped, standing in front of the two now as she caught each of their gazes with her own strong one.

"We have sent scouts ahead to make sure no First Order patrols are involved in the area, it has come back clear, and I want you both to go there. Inspect the old base, and retrieve the droid if you can"

A glance was shared between the pilot and mechanic, neither of them speaking for a second before Poe cleared his throat "How do we know it's safe, that it isn't a trap?" 

"We don't, that's why you will be going undercover. I want you both in and out of there without being seen, if the First Order does turn out to be involved..." The General hesitated and stopped there.

"With all due respect, I think it's unnecessary for Sola to come along, we shouldn't be putting her, or anyone, into any risky situations like this, she's not been trained for field work"

It was Sola's turn to react, frowning at Poe for a moment before she opened her mouth to speak "I think I'll be alright" As much as she agreed that she was not exactly cut out for this line of work, it wasn't fair for Poe to assume she couldn't handle herself if it came down to it. She'd survived long enough on Tatooine by herself. Sneaking into and out of an old abandoned Rebel base seemed like a breeze in comparison.

The General seemed to agree with her and smiled "Sola is right, if what you've told me about her is true, she can certainly handle herself. She's not going alone anyway Poe, you'll be there too. We need to scout as many planets as we can, as efficiently as we can, there's no time in delaying".

Poe had been...speaking about her? To the General? This was new information, and as much as she was craving to ask Poe about it, her face remained neutral. This wasn't the time.

"General Organa I don't think this is a good idea I-"

Leia shook her head, raising her hand to cut him off "This is a mission I need you both on, if the droid is compromised Sola will hopefully be able to gather as much intel from it as possible. You have until tomorrow" It seemed whatever Poe was going to argue against, the General didn't accept no for an answer. Suddenly, Sola respected the woman all the more because of it.

"I heard you were helping her with self defence?"

Was there anything the General wasn't aware of?!

Poe gave a nod, he didn't seem to be surprised by it.  
"Good, I want you to teach her how to handle a blaster by tomorrow morning, you'll be taking a small unmarked ship, pack lightly, take whatever equipment you need for the droid. I will send the rest of the details to you, Commander Dameron, later" Those were her final parting words before the two were excused and exited the room.

Her and Poe Dameron, on an undercover mission to an abandoned Rebel base, alone...  
What could go wrong.


	14. Target Practice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get your cup of Jawa Juice ready cos it's about to get SPICY

Did she ever imagine she would be sent off base to do an assignment that involved the possible future location of the Resistance base? If you had asked her the day before, Sola would have said 'No kriffing way!'. 

Yet, now, after having received the briefing by the General, and on her way to the shooting range to practice her skill, or lack thereof, with a blaster with Poe Dameron. Things had certainly changed.

As much as he disagreed with the General on taking her along, Poe hadn't said much else since they'd left the office. He was still debating in his head if he should try to convince either of the woman involved otherwise, but knew that once General Organa made up her mind, there wasn't much in the way of any discussion left. He could also do the brash thing and sneak away on his own? But somehow even that seemed like a stupid, unfair thing to do, especially to Sola. 

His blond mechanic seemed to have her own mind made up, and who was he to deny her this important responsibility. She deserved a chance to prove herself, and her skill, to the Resistance. 

"Have you ever held a blaster before?" Better to start from the beginning, there was no use in pressing a live weapon into her hand right off the bat and watching her blast the whole base to hell and back. Even if the concept made him laugh on the inside.

"....no..." Came her honest answer after a moment of hesitation, dreading to look, but ultimately making herself turn to the Commander as he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 

Well at least that meant he didn't have to make her unlearn anything that could be considered a hinderance on how to handle the weapon. Though the time restraint the General had now put them under meant that he would have to teach her everything in a very short time. 

"Good thing I'm a great shot" Poe boasted, causing Sola to shoot him an agitated, yet worried look. If she couldn't shoot a blaster by tomorrow, it meant if they did run into trouble, he would basically be on his own. She wanted to be useful on this occasion, if not to keep him safe, then herself.

"I-It can't be that hard" .

The shooting range was a fair size. Lined up with wooden targets littered with fresh and old blaster holes. The room smelled of singed, burnt wood and a tinge of metal, it was just as old and worn in here as it was in every other corner of the D'Qar base. But it did have charm going for it.

The Resistance member who handled weaponry handed them two fresh blasters without as much as a bat of his eyes. Either he had been informed by the General already, or Poe was using his fame without even needing to open his mouth. Either way, Sola didn't complain when Poe pressed the weapon into her hand, the safety still clicked on of course.

"Here, have a feel of it, you'll be taking this one with you tomorrow" The pilot waited as she tested the weight in her hand. It was heavier than she imagined from the small size, but not heavy enough to cause any discomfort. For as inexperienced as she was, the mechanic had a decent amount of upper body and arm strength, built up from her years of repairs, experiments and tinkering on her droids and speeders. 

"Feels good...?" Was all she could really say to the weapon, inspecting it to make sure she familiarised herself with every button and edge. 

"This is the safety clip, that's the stun button, and you know where the trigger is" Each aspect was pointed out carefully by Poe as he leaned over her shoulder. Just barely, his chest managed to bump against the back of her arm, but it was enough to make her pay closer attention to him.

"You need to keep a firm, but loose grip on it. Strong enough so the recoil doesn't knock it from your hand, but loose enough so you're not gonna snap it in two" He instructed guiding her hand up towards the target with his own.

It was becoming hot again in her jumpsuit, Poe was far too close.

Nodding stiffly, Sola waited for him to turn off the safety. His hand remained however, wrapping around her own to adjust her grip the right amount before, far to quickly, he dropped his arm and stepped away.

The mechanic was left behind, helpless, flushed, and rigid in her stance.   
"Relax, take a big breath, aim, and when you exhale, fire" 

Doing as she was told, Sola followed each step carefully, using her right eye to aim as best she could before pulling the trigger. The shot rang out against she room, her arm shaking for a second at the force of the blaster. She didn't quite hit the centre of the target, but wasn't too far off. 

"Better than I thought you'd be, nice" Poe sounded impressed, from behind her. One hand resting on his hip while he nodded to himself. She wasn't a bad shot.

"Keep going, always aim slightly above your target. Your eyes will always be a tick above where the nuzzle of your weapon is" a tip she took into consideration with her next shot.

This time the shot hit almost at the centre, thought she had forgotten her hold and her arm hurt enough for her to wince and let the blaster fall from her grasp. The recoil had yanked her whole body back, pain shooting through her hand and shoulder with a hiss.

"You alright?" Poe was there quickly, picking up the weapon and clicking on the safety before he examined her arm. 

Again, Sola hissed as he pressed his fingers against her shoulder, massaging the burning spot he discovered with a look of pity "Told you to keep it loose, you'll tare something if you grip it too hard". 

Why did that somehow sound suggestive to her-, get your head out of your mechanics Sola!

"S-Sorry..." Looking back of the target she could at least say she was proud her aim was good. Even if her handling needed to improve, no one was perfect on their first time. 

With fingers still carefully examining her arm, Poe, as caring as he was, was also a slight distraction at that moment. Everywhere his hands traveled, a trail of goosebumps left his wake. Even from under her ragged jumpsuit she could feel the pressure and warmth of his fingers. It was getting hard not to focus on his every touch, even while he manoeuvred the blaster back into her right hand, his fingers enclosing around her own to adjust her grip while his other hand braced her shoulder against his chest. 

He was so damned close, he had no idea how mad this was driving her. Poe kriffing Dameron and his touchy feely, confident, brash, caring, idiot attitude was going to drive her insane.

"Poe I don't think-"

"Shhh" That shut her up with a sharp inhale, his face leaned down beside her own to try and mirror where exactly her line of sight was.   
"I'm just here to keep you steady", from the effects he had on her body, the results were anything but steady.

"Don't get distracted Sweetheart" 

Sola's breath shuddered at the back of her throat, her nerves tingling and hand growing sweaty under his own against the handle of the blaster. The cool metal it was made out of doing little to help. Did he have any idea what he was doing to her body right now, how weak her knees had become?! 

"Your target won't wait forever on you ya'know" 

The pilot was right of course, whoever she was aiming at, would not simply stand idly by while she tried to calm the racing thoughts and beating of her heart. Still however, she needed another second to take a breath, her arm shaking slightly as she angled it up another inch before taking the shot.

"See" Satisfied her arm braced the impact, and her grip was good, Poe released her again and took a step off to the side to lean against the low wall barrier that separated them from the distant targets. "Next time don't let anything, or anyone, distract you. When you're aiming your weapon, you intend to use it. Distractions get you killed".

"I-I wasn't distracted..." The blush on her cheeks told him otherwise and Poe let a smirk grow on his lips at the realisation what, or rather, who, had managed to make her blush once again.

"Do I always make you blush when I'm close? Or is it just when you're concentrating on holding a weapon?"

Curse Poe and his observation skills. 

"I think if you stand close to just about anyone they'd blush...." Sola wasn't sure what exactly she'd hoped to achieve with that statement, but she shouldn't have said that, Sola definitely should not have said that. 

Poe was upon her like a predator its prey. Still prioritising however, the silent consent to touch her as he hesitated to rest his hands on her waist. When the mechanic showed no sign of wanting to pull away or feeling discomfort with the idea, even if her pretty eyes were wide, and face heating up, only then did Poe rest them over her clothes gently. His frame blocking her in against the small barrier that reached just past her elbows. 

"And have you been thinking a lot about how I make people blush, or just how I make you turn all red?" His head was bent forward at an angle, trying subtly to be at her eye-level without actually bending his whole body forward. He'd much rather use that to push up against her body until they met firmly like two unyielding walls. Though, perhaps on her side, she was a little softer in comparison to his own.

Unsure of where to settle her arms, on where to put the urge to grip something under her hands to keep her steady. Sola settled on placing them on the barrier behind her, her body leaning backwards slightly so her face wouldn't collide with his sinfully sharp collarbones which were poking out from under his loose fitting grey t-shirt. Anywhere, she wanted to look anywhere but his soulful eyes. No doubt were they looking down at her for a response her body was giving up so freely, yet her words denied. The shuddering mechanic would need to give him answer at some point, and as she considered it, sooner rather than later seemed like the better alternative.

"S...So what, what if I have...?" Unable to give him the satisfaction of an answer he already knew, redirecting another question his way was the risky move she decided to take instead. Eyes glinting in the low light of the room as they raked upwards slowly trailing up his torso, his shoulders, past the stubble that suited him too well and the grin that graced his lips, until they reached his searching pair.

Instead of hesitation, Sola only found an unwavering smugness interwoven with another emotion she couldn't quite place, plastered over his face. Adoration, perhaps? Impossible. She settled on a patient amusement instead, that was easier to handle.

"I'd love to know..." Poe started, happy to have finally caught her eyes again, and proud he was causing her to finally gain enough confidence to retort to his teasing in such away, "why?" He finished, one hand which had previously occupied the space beside her own rising up her arm and to the crook of her neck to plant itself there. A thick, racing pulse greeted him under his fingers, the rising heat of her body evident to him now he was touching her skin to skin. Who'd have thought a little close contact and a few teasing words were all it took to get her so riled up. Or maybe it was just his attention alone that did that. The pilot wasn't sure, but couldn't complain either way.

Biting at her bottom lip as she gathered her thoughts for a reply, Sola hesitated once more. Knuckles turning white under the pressure she was applying to her grip, as if she would collapse if she let go of the barrier. Right now it certainly felt like she just might. "Because...it's you".

Honestly greeted him like an open door in the summer heat. It wasn't what Poe was expecting, but it was what made his grin widen and finally made it reach his eyes. His thumb grazed her jawline, gently memorising the feeling of her skin as he admired her fully and without shame. Who knew when they would have a moment alone like this again. To simply breathe, to be. It was rare, even if they should be practicing her aim at that moment, they seemed to both agree silently on this matter, that this was more important. At least for a short while.

"It's me?" He finally hummed in question, wanting her to continue with her explanation even if it took them all night to finally reach its conclusion. Poe certainly didn't mind the idea of spending all night with her, even if it was just to hear her speak. About things she loved, she hated, all the things she'd seen in her life, and just to share what she had denied herself to anyone else. Poe wanted it all for himself, selfishly perhaps, but he didn't care. 

"You, only you, Poe" Hearing his name from her lips again almost drove him to do something he didn't think she was quite ready for. Whenever he heard it, in such a close proximity, his heart hammered that little harder in his chest, his hands clenching to hold her tighter. Sola had no idea what it did to his restraint, though she did witness how it made his nostrils flare and his eyes dart to her lips for a split second. She took it as a victory.

A victory in her eyes, which made her grow cocky enough to speak some more even if only to see him react like that again. A slight smirk itching to make itself known on her face "Commander" this time the hand on her face snapped up to cup her cheek, the simple word was enough to make him take a sharp inhale of breath. As much as he liked to complain about what Sola ended up calling him, he certainly had a wide range of emotions on display for her to pick from that indicated anything but displeasure at her choice.

"Sweetheart" He retorted simply, a warning almost. Leaning forward until their noses touched ever so slightly, his breath caught her lips taking her off guard. The mechanic had not calculated his response to be with his body rather than with his usually skilful use of words, her breath hesitating to meet his own.

A hum was the only response she could manage, swallowing down the lump in her throat before she too glanced at his lips. The thought of them were distracting her again. Sola had no idea where any of this bravery had come from, which crevice of her soul it had sprouted from like a wildflower in spring. But she didn't seem to be able to get it under control. Someone, for the first time in her life, had given her a loaded weapon and an arsenal at her disposal to use against them as she pleased. Poe had given her power, only a small amount, but it was enough, and Sola was revealing in the idea of somehow using it against him. Even while her legs threatened to give out from under her if he ever dared to step away from her body right then. 

"Can I-" Poe cut himself off with a curse under his breath, one Sola just barely managed to catch, "fuck it" before he smashed his own lips against her own. He wasn't going to wait on anyone interrupting them this time. Whoever had handed them their blasters was somewhere down the hall, and if anyone walked in on the pair now Poe couldn't care less. 

She wasn't going to deny that hearing Poe curse like that because of her was hot. Especially when he decided to kiss her in that way right after, hungry, passionate. Unsure how she knew that from only having kissed him once before, Sola took the force behind his lips and the grip on her cheek and her waist as the only signs she needed. 

It wasn't long until her heartbeat was in her throat again, her lips trying to catch up to his pace as he angled her head back to deepen the kiss. Hungry for more, his teeth nipped gently at her bottom lip, pleading for entrance she wasn't even aware she needed to grant him until her lips opened to allow his tongue past their barrier. 

Eyes shooting open to watch him, Sola hesitated to do much else but stare and let him explore her mouth, his burning tongue was larger, harsher than her own but would only coax her own into action after he realised her hesitation, instead of forcing any response. Heaving a soft sigh, thankful for his patience and understanding, Sola experimented with her own tongue. It wasn't long until they found a rhythm, when Poe pulled, Sola would give, and if he pushed she would happily yield below him with a pleasant hum that drove him wild on the inside.

She was a better kisser then she gave herself credit for, though he would boast he was the one who had taught her.

Between it all, a calming feeling overcame the blond mechanic. She trusted him. As much as it was nerve wracking to kiss someone, to kiss Poe, he seemed willing to soothe her at every step of the way. Gently easing her into different angles, never taking his mouth or his hands from her body, but keeping his hold loose enough that if she so wished, she could easily slip from his grasp. Sola's own digits having found themselves in his locks shortly after they'd begun their little dance without either of them realising until she accidentally gave them a curt pull that made the pilot grunt in way that didn't quite indicate the presence of pain.

She pulled away, purely to stare at him, eyes wide, lips buzzing from their kiss. Dumbfounded at her discovery, as well as the realisation of their intense little make out session which had just overcome her whole body, before making her crash-land back to reality.

"I-"

"Better than your first kiss?" Licking his lips, Poe smirked against her mouth, his own breathing had picked up just enough to be noticeable, he didn't care to hide it from her. As much as he wanted to, he wasn't going to tease her any further than that, at least for now.

"I-It's a little unfair to compare them" Sola could still hardly believe this was real, that Poe Dameron had decided to kiss her again. And make that kind of noise when she tugged at his hair, she was so very tempted to give it another yank just to see his reaction. The thought was selfish, and a little evil. She let it lie in her mind for now, dull, but nagging. 

"Want another one to compare it to?" 

As much as her mind screamed every possible word for 'yes' at her, Sola remembered where exactly they were, and what they were supposed to be doing, as ordered by the General.

"Shouldn't....shouldn't we be practicing something else?" Turning her head from side to side to find her blaster which was now stuck in the belt down the front of his waist, Sola stared for a moment before pulling it free and holding it between them agains her chest. Was that rude to do? Maybe she should've let it be, though Poe didn't seem to mind.

As much as Poe wanted to argue, he had to admit she was right, they had only a limited time to get her capable enough to handle the blaster, even if his body was craving more, she was right. With a small childish pout that made her chuckle, he stood back to give her more space, readjusting his trousers quickly. 

"Want me to hold your hand again?" He teased simply, resulting in only an eye roll from the smaller woman as she turned away to take up her stance, going through the steps in her head. 

Cocky Flyboy.

"No, I can handle it, thank you, Commander Dameron".


	15. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and Sola, together with BB-8, set course for their mission. Their destination? Dantooine.

"So, tell me then, what's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Kissing Poe Dameron, Sweetheart of the Resistance, Commander and the General's adoptive Son"

Sola jumped up from her position on the top of the bunk bed she shared with Lizzy, sitting up and crossing her arms defensively over herself. Even if her friend couldn't see from her own bed, the felt the need to shield herself from the words. 

"I-I never-"

"Oh come on" Lizzy laughed, obviously knowing her friend was growing flustered by the sheer and obvious truth being called out in front, or rather, from below her.

"I can see it in your face, you totally did. Ever since Starkiller base was blown up, you've been practically glowing" The tone of her voice teased Sola into a rapid heart rate, still trying to find an excuse to somehow deny it. 

"I thought it was just because we're, ya know, still alive, but today I saw that look on your face again, and I just knew!" The medic continued her assault of words, disregarding every sharp inhale from her mechanic friend above her while she laughed to herself. Of course she was right, Lizzy was always right. The girl had the greatest intuition Sola had ever seen, could give a Jedi a run for their money.

"What- what look on my face?!" Cupping her own cheeks as if to feel the look herself from under her fingers, all Sola could feel was the heat of her embarrassment. She shook her head again, ramming her face back into her pillow with a low groan. She was gonna lose this one, and that meant having to admit to Lizzy, to herself, that she had kissed Poe Dameron. Her heart soared, nervous, ecstatic, hopeful.

"It's like" Lizzy tried to find the words to describe it, she barely managed it "You're all smiling to yourself, not a frown in sight, and your lips" She snorted, thinking back on how they looked when the mechanic had finished her training with the Commander that evening and joined her to get ready for bed. 

"They were all red and swollen almost, I'm guessing Poe isn't the gentlest kisser in the Galaxy" She was pondering to herself now, making up theories on the pilot while Sola, unbeknownst to her, was struggling on holding back the loudest sigh in existence. Instead she groaned again into her stiff grey pillow before rolling onto her back, defeat.

"He can be!" Sola defended suddenly, huffing under her breath at what she was about to say before continuing "He can kiss really sweetly" Lizzy made a gagging sound from below her that made the blond smile a little and hold back a laugh.

"Hey, you're the one that asked!"

"I didn't ask for the details!" As much as she appreciated Sola finally opening up to her about this specific subject, knowing exactly what Dameron could do with his mouth was not something she needed to know. 

"He can kiss really well alright, roughly, softly, all of it" The mechanic finally confessed, laughing aloud as now it was Lizzy's turn to groan deeply in distress and throw her hands up to knock at her friend's mattress. 

"Listen I'm glad you guys made out, but never tell me that again" 

She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed this much, this loud, this genuinely with someone, or even on her own. Sola couldn't even remember the last time she'd felt this happy and content, the mission tomorrow even as it loomed over her head, forgotten in the wake of their teasing banter. It felt good to laugh with Lizzy, to just be again. She suddenly felt like crying, in all the best ways.

"Lizzy..?"

The dark skinned girl below picked up on the subtle change of Sola's voice, her own lowering "Yeah?"

"Thank you, for being my friend, for listening" Sola confessed, the agony of guilt washing over her only to be drowned out by the feeling of relief, gratitude and love. Tears graced her face silently. Lizzy felt like a sister to her, the one she lost, never replaced, but instead joined to her like a long forgotten family member.

Lizzy chuckled lightly, rolling her eyes just for herself, of course Sola would say something like that, "You don't have to thank me idiot" though silently, she agreed with the unspoken idea. The word family too, coming to her mind. "Thank you for being my friend too, I'll always be here to listen, even if it's about your disgusting kissy time with Poe".

"What about you and that Nurse, anything happen?"

"Not yet, but I actually wanted to ask you, one of Poe's pilot friends was looking for you earlier, asked where you were. Pava...something" The name was on the tip of her tongue, barely forgotten.

"Jessika?" Sola inquired, confused by this line of questioning.

"Jessika, know anything about her? I think she might rival my Nurse"

"Liz!" So that's where she was going with this, because of course she'd instantly be attracted to the confident pilot. Somehow, Sola couldn't blame her.

"What?! She's hot, I have enough place for all pretty woman in my heart"

"Please go to sleep" Sola laughed again, shaking her head in disbelief, the last words uttered however were Lizzy's, though they were a pouting mumble.

"Fine, I'll dream about her instead.

The landing strip was suspiciously quiet that morning. Only a couple of ships roaring and taking off in the distance as she found herself there the next day. Dawn had barely set in, the General instructing them to leave early. Sola couldn't complain however, it was a beautiful sight. To witness the D'Qar sunrise for even a moment, like the time she'd woken up alongside Poe to watch it silently. The memory stuck in her buzzing head even as BB-8 rolled by her feet with a small beep. Even while the aforementioned pilot joined her side, staring out to the distant horizon with one arm on his hip and the other around a large duffel bag.

"Enjoying the view?" He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, catching the way her blue eyes reflected the orange sky. The way her skin was dusted a softer pink hue from the growing rays of sun, and- he almost missed it, the gentle smile on her face. Poe had never seen the mechanic at piece like this, not since the last time they witnessed this view. He noted that fact in his mind, locked it away for another time as he patted her shoulder "Ready to go?"

This time she answered with a soft sigh, her own large bag parked on the ground by her feet, waiting "Yeah...I think so".

Picking up her bag for her, Poe pointed to the ship they would be taking with a nudge of his head before leading the way for them "I-I can take that" even as she reached for her bag, Poe held it out of her reach with a chuckle. 

"I got it, you just get on and strap yourself in, BB-8 will be waiting onboard" that made her face light up,

"BB is coming with us?!" The General had failed to mention any droids coming with them to this assignment. Though she hadn't seen Poe without him since they'd met, it somehow made sense. 

"Course he is, I wouldn't go anywhere without him isn't that right buddy?" BB let out a loud chirp from the cockpit as they entered up the small ramp, he too seemed excited for this mission. Probably because it wasn't on another desert planet. She imagined the small droid hated sand more than she did, and she grew up on Tatooine. 

There was barely enough room for the two seats inside the ships cockpit, BB-8 had to squeeze himself in near the back as Sola entered to sit on the co-pilots seat, her eyes taking in every button in lever in her sight. She'd never been inside the cockpit of a large vessel like this, and Poe could pilot this?! Astounding.

"I've put our bags in the hold, the ship barely has enough room for our hammocks" Poe sighed sliding himself into the piloting seat with careless ease. He was an expert at what he did, Sola could hardly keep up as he went through the pre-flight checks as if he could do it in his sleep. Poe probably could, she didn't doubt that.

"We...we're sleeping on this ship?" She mused, not quite annoyed but not too happy at the prospect either. The machine was old, it looked like it had seen its fair share of use and battle, some of the buttons having lost their inscriptions on them. Poe didn't seem to mind.

"We shouldn't be gone longer than two or three days, as long as we don't run into any trouble. Did you bring all the equipment you need?" He wasn't looking at her as he spoke, inspecting another old lever for a second before pushing a button which seemed to make the engines roar to life with a rattle. 

"Of course, did you bring the blasters?" He gave her a look that told her he was unimpressed she even doubted him, before pulling a blaster and holster from under his jacket and handing her it. 

"I also brought this, I know you only have the standard Resistance jacket" How the hell Sola hadn't noticed he was a carrying a second leather jacket under his arm, she didn't know. That damned sunrise was very distracting.

"This one has no symbol on it, more discreet" And here she thought she would have to freeze on whatever planet they were visiting, Poe was ever the gentleman it seemed. Even if the jacket had a stain on the front he could've cleaned up before lending her it, whisky, that was her guess anyway,

"T...thank you, it's...a little big" Pulling the dark material on over her shoulders, the sleeves inched past her hands and the shoulders hung over her own like a loose mantle. It was comfortable at least, and smelled like Poe. Sola was tempted to raise the collar to her nose for a better test, but doing so in front of the grinning pilot was definitely out of the question. That would be weird.

"Suits you" Was all Poe gave in reply, fastening his own belts across his torso which prompted Sola to hastily follow and strap herself in alongside him. 

In his head, Poe would in turn deny himself from voicing the thought that she looked adorable in his jacket, and that he from now on, would ensure she wore it more often. It was her jacket now.

"BB-8 set course for Dantooine, we have a planet to scout, let's go". Just like that, the control panel was alight in a wide array of colours, the console beeping and whirring as Poe pressed and pushed at buttons she couldn't even begin to imagine the functions of.

"You-"

"I can fly anything" Poe cut her off with a smirk, the ship now hovering in the air as the engined warmed up around them "You ever flown a ship before?" From the way she was gazing at the console and around the cockpit like a kid in a candy shop, he would go ahead and assume the answer was no. 

"Never, besides a few speeders" Sola exclaimed breathlessly, she was still astounded Poe knew what he was doing even while he had turned to watch her react to the ship. His amused gaze made her stop her staring quickly, clearing her throat and adjusting the holster and blaster sitting on her knees, she would have to put that on once she was able to stand again.

A hum was all the pilot gave, keeping his thoughts to himself as he pressed a button and turned back towards the window to begin their ascend into the D'Qar sky. "This is Black Leader taking off from bay 4" the com link at his hand caught her off guard and made her jump in her seat as another voice replied shortly after.

"Acknowledged Black Leader, see you in a few days Poe, keep us in the loop, over"

"No promises" He practically chuckled into the com before shutting it off and focusing on keeping the ship steady as it hurled past the clouds.

All Sola could do was stare out into the vast expanse of sky, eyes wide, the blue outside mirroring the colour trapped in her own gaze. 

Which was bluer, her eyes or the sky? Poe couldn't tell. 

The further they travelled out the darker the sky around them became, blue morphing into a dark purple hue until they finally broke atmosphere and the sound of air rushing by them grew silent in an instant. Instead, the silence of space greeting them together with the twinkling of stars in the far distance. 

"We ready for hyperspace buddy?" Poe turned his head slightly towards BB-8 who was plugged into a side panel behind their seats, his astromerch gave a beep which was drawn out to give it a hint of cockiness from the droid that told her 'Of course', BB was starting to become more like Poe everyday. 

With the push of another lever at his disposal the ship snapped into light-speed, everything around them stretching into thin white lines, her seat rocking her forward against the belts keeping her secured and knocking the air from her lungs for a second. The shift into light-speed was something she doubted she'd ever grow completely used to. 

"Datooine used to house a small Rebel outpost, the First Order will probably have a record of it. But because it's not overly inhabited and in the Outer Rim-"

"We'd be hiding right under their noses" Sola finished, catching onto the idea quickly. They would believe the Resistance wasn't dumb enough to go back there from how small it was, and thus, would most likely not waste their time in checking the planet in the first place. It was a dangerous move that involved a lot of risks, but with the limited time they had left, they would have to take their chances. She only hoped whatever droid they needed to find at the base, had been compromised for reasons that didn't involve the First Order. 

"Exactly, you're starting to sound like a real Resistance member" Poe grinned proudly at her, though he never doubted her alliance to the cause, and to her work for the Resistance, seeing she had a brain for strategy like this was something he hadn't expected to find so soon after her arrival. Sola was not only learning, but growing. Already she could speak much more freely to him, and others at base. He'd witnessed some the way she had begun to open up to her friends, and he was glad he had the honour of getting a front row seat to it all.

"T-Thanks" Was just about the only answer Sola managed to reply with, her face growing hot from his compliment she had first wanted to deny outright. After having a second to think about it however, she somewhat agreed with the statement. She'd learned a lot from being on D'Qar among the other members of the Resistance. Even if she only spoke a limited amount, she heard a lot of what was going on around her, and often overheard the discussions of the pilots and mechanics she happened to find within her company at times. Lizzy, Rose, Paige, Snap, Jessika, Poe, even Lazslo had started to grow on her. Even if she didn't know all of them like the back of her hand, she liked to believe she knew them enough to call them her allies in a cause, friends, even. 

"I could teach you how to fly, if you ever want to learn?" 

He wasn't being serious was he?!

"Y-You'd do that?! For me?!" Sola was speechless as she watched Poe switch on the autopilot setting and lean back in his seat with a leisurely shrug, 

"From the way you were ogling the ship earlier, you're obviously interested" Poe turned his eyes to her only to make her turn away and look out of the window to try and hide the embarrassing amount of joy she was feeling right now at his offer.

"I...I just never had the opportunity to-, we never owned a ship on Tatooine" The only ships she ever got to outright admire were the ones at the Pod races, and even then it was at a distance. To have the best pilot in the Resistance- the galaxy, offer her mentorship?! Unimaginable.

"Are you sure-...I-I mean, what if I'm terrible?" Doubt bit at her mind gently, reminding her of her many failures, and her lack of skill in other departments that didn't involve fixing droids and replacing damaged parts. 

Poe didn't seem even the slightest bit worried, "Everyone starts out somewhere, I wasn't born the best pilot in the galaxy either" he joked smirking as she rolled her eyes back to him.

"No, but having a pilot for a mother, probably helped, it's in your blood" 

Lifting an eyebrow as her words made him remember another bloodline, Poe shifted the conversation carefully "What about you, why didn't you tell me you family name earlier?" Sola stiffened at that, looking back down at her hands as she fumbled with the oversized sleeves on the jacket she wore, Poe's jacket.

"What does it matter..."

"No one is no one" He started, remembering her initial excuse to refuse him her name before continuing, "I've heard the name somewhere, it's not from Tatooine is it?"

He would be right in guessing that, Sola nodded, taking a breath before looking back at his face again.

"No, it's my mothers maiden name, I took it when she died, she was from Naboo" 

Ah, so that's why the mechanic looked like such a blend of traits, he always did imagine she looked somewhat like royalty in his eyes, though Poe wouldn't admit it aloud.

"Why settle on Tatooine? No offence, it wouldn't be my first choice to raise my family there" The idea of Poe with a family made her brain halt in its tracks for a moment. Force, she could imagine his kids to be the splitting image of him. Dark curly hair, a reckless temper, and dark eyes. Sola blushed to herself, Poe would make a good father.

"She never told me why she came to Tatooine in the first place, but she met my father there, and they fell in love" Sola wished she knew why, why her mother's past had been kept so vague from her, even after she died her father refused to open up about whatever he might have known. Anytime she brought it up, he would grow angry and upset, making excuses and leaving the room with the clatter of the door as her only solace.

"Hmmm, love, guess it can make you crazy enough to live on a desert planet" Poe mused nodding at the thought, he wasn't quite sure he himself would given up Yavin for somewhere with so much sand. Though when he glanced at his little mechanic across from him again, he wasn't so sure anymore, faltering.

"I'm named after my Grandmother actually, her name was Sola" Unsure of why she even mentioned it, the blond tightened the low buns on her head to distract herself for a second before clearing her throat "Apparently that's who I got my eyes from too" she shrugged before unbuckling herself from the co-pilots seat and making her way out from the stifling cockpit so she could secure her holster over her thigh and put her blaster away securely. Poe didn't follow, waving her off over his shoulder and leaving her to her devices as he checked over the inventory on the ship to ensure they were prepared for their landing without any problems. 

"We'll be landing in a couple of hours, if you want some more sleep now's the time" The Commander shouted over his seat, hearing a faint 'okay' in the distance that let him know she'd heard him. 

From the meagre four hours of sleep she managed to scrape together the night before, an extra opportunity for two hours more sounded like absolute bliss. An opportunity she would not pass up knowing the stress they would most likely be under once they landed. Who knew the next time they would be able to sleep? 

Laying down in the small hammock Poe had put out for them each, Sola let the worry of how long the pilot had slept wash over her. Shouldn't he be resting too? Surely he needed plenty more sleep than she did, he was the one doing most of the work. He would be the one to keep them both alive. Even if her aim had gotten better since they had practiced together, Sola was sure if it came down to it, she couldn't kill someone. First Order Stormtrooper or otherwise. 

That dangerous idea alone put them both at risk.


	16. Dantooine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the grass planet of Dantooine, try not to let any cocky pilots drown you in the water.

They landed on the outskirts of a small farm while Sola slept, BB-8 was the one to wake her as he rolled against the hammock with a flurry of loud beeps that shook her awake. "We're here?" He beeped again looking up at her waiting, "Already?!" Sola pulled on her boots again from beside her bed, adjusting her hair and throwing on Poe's oversized jacket. It still smelled of him, silently she hoped it would never lose the strong scent. 

"You ready?" Poe was at the door a moment later, a small bag on his back while he watched her hastily gather together a bag of her own with equipment she would need. She looked like a mouse scurrying around the small room like that, he had to bite back a chuckle under his breath he hoped she didn't pick up on.

"R-Ready!" She was tempted to bring a spare top just in case, but that might've been overkill. They would need to be back on the ship by nightfall anyway, today they were simply locating and scouting out the outpost, they didn't plan on entering until they knew every escape route. At least that's what BB-8 had told her while she was putting together her things.

"The inhabitants here are mostly made up of large families, they shouldn't bother us as long as we don't disturb them" Poe walked down the ramp ahead of her as he checked his blaster, when he didn't feel Sola follow behind him, he turned on his heel to look back up the ship.

"What's wrong?" She looked...scared, almost, like the grass of the bottom of the ship had spooked her, yet he couldn't figure out why. They hadn't encountered any patrols yet, nor any other ships for that matter.

"I...I've never been-" On Dantooine, on a planet with no one else there to help them, on a mission this important with this much responsibility. They were alone out here, even if they managed to call for backup it would take hours to arrive. Sola had never been tasked with something like this, it terrified her and now that it was real. Now that she was about to set foot onto this strange new planet, reality hit her like a fleet of star fighters.

"There's nothing to be scared of" His confused frown turned into one of worry, taking large steps back up the ramp he took her trembling hand in his own and nudged her back down slowly alongside him "We're just gonna check out the base from afar, make sure there's no First Order troops around and then we're coming right back, alright?" His thumb graced the back of her hand as he spoke, stopping once his feet reached the long savanna grass at the edge of the ship's boarding ramp to peer back at her.

Sola hesitated at the bottom beside him, taking another breath to absorb his reassuring words before letting her boots connect with the pale grass alongside him. He was right, they weren't here to fight, simply to check out the base and ensure it was safe. Even if she carried the means to kill, it was only intent to be used in defence. She wouldn't become a murderer.

"Sorry..." She felt embarrassed to be so scared of something like this, why the hell stepping onto a new planet filled her body with dread so suddenly. 

"I understand, I was nervous on my first assignment too, even with my years of experience with the Republic fleet".

"Y-You were with the Republic?".

Poe laughed, surprised she hadn't heard his whole life story from how much people liked to talk about him back on D'Qar, "Yeah, I left for the Resistance once I saw that they weren't doing enough. They just kept pretending the First Order wasn't a big threat even with all the signs, I think they were scared to face reality and wanted to hide away in their fantasy of what the Republic once was instead" they'd put his mothers memory to shame, it boiled his blood to think about it. Not that it mattered now, the Republic had almost been completely wiped out because of Starkiller, there wasn't much he could do about that now. The Resistance was the only hope left for the Galaxy, and he was determined to keep it alive.

"You've had quite a life so far" Sola mused after they walked for a while, following the map on the device attached to Poe's wrist. The fields of grass seemed endless, every few miles another lake or river greeted them that made Sola want to dive into its depths stronger each time. The suns of Dantooine shone down from the sky like two golden smiles. It was hot here, though perhaps not as hot as it was back on Tatooine.

The Commander at her side snorted checking his wrist again "You're telling me, wouldn't change it for the galaxy though" She wouldn't argue with that, for as much as Poe had suffered and lost, it had lead him here. To a cause greater than any one of them, and into Sola's own life. She couldn't imagine a life without Poe Dameron now. 

They passed a few fields and huts along their way, keeping a decent distance and keeping their pace steady. BB-8 had remained on the ship, waiting for them and making sure it was kept grounded in case any of the locals decided they wanted to get off world without an invitation. 

"I think I see it" Holding a pair of binoculars in one hand Poe pointed out into the distance, a large overgrown white structure rose from the earth in rounded shapes, some of it disappearing into the ground. Sola could barely make out the colours from the way the sun was blazing on it, it looked old and warn, much like D'Qar, but still on one piece. She sighed in relief, there were no first Order Ships in sight.

"Let's circle around it and keep our distance for now" He instructed putting away the binoculars and taking up the lead as they made their way around the back of the Rebel outpost. It looked smaller from the outside than their current base, though looks could be deceiving Sola had to remind herself as she tried to keep up with Poe's large hurried steps through the tall grassland.

Her feet had started to ache an hour back, the dull drumming becoming increasingly uncomfortable with each step. Seeing as there was no use in complaining about it, the mechanic had decided to remain quiet about it even as she winced a few minutes later, shaking her feet out to try and ease the pain. 

"Not used to walking this much?" Poe teased, glancing behind him as she tried to keep up with him. Of course she wouldn't be used to it, her profession didn't exactly call for her to track for hours in the afternoon sun. Especially not in those old boots.

"I'm f-fine" Nothing a little rest wouldn't fix once they got back.

Taking another survey of the landscape, Poe didn't see anything that worried him within their sights. It didn't mean they were in the clear yet however, there could be a whole array of troops inside the compound they didn't know about, and he would rather avoid an awkward unexpected meeting with the barrel of a blaster today. "It looks all clear from what I can see, we'll head back to the ship for today, tomorrow we'll send in BB-8 to check if the coast is clear inside, sound good?" Sola could only nod, it wasn't like she had any better ideas, even if she didn't want to put the droid into anymore danger, it would be easier for him to check than for any of the two of them to waltz in there. 

On their way back together both of them had opted to take off their jackets, even as the suns lowered in the sky, the heat was palpable enough to bare even without the extra layers. 

"What...what happened to you" Poe turned his head to her, his hands halting from their movement over the grass at his hips as they walked "back when Finn helped you escape, you said the First Order captured you" Sola clarified softly, unsure if she should ask him about it, and from the memory that seemed to pass over his eyes, it looked like a painful time.

"Y-You don't have to answer I just-"

"No...no it's fine" Turning his head to watch the clear sky, the pilot thought back on his time in the interrogation room with Kylo Ren, he shuddered at the thought, of how the Sith had violated his mind.

"It wasn't the best time I can tell you that" He finally huffed a laugh, shaking his head. And that was putting it mildly.

"The injuries that you got, when you came back from Jakku, did they do that, the First Order?" Unexpectedly, rage bubbled in the pit of her stomach as she thought about what they had done to Poe, she didn't doubt that it brought him nightmares. How could they do that, to such a good person, someone who fought with passion for freedom and justice. He didn't deserve that.

"Some of em yeah, the rest were from the crash landing" He spotted the anger in her eyes, and it made him smile a little more than he would admit. Anger for his pain, his suffering, his wellbeing, as much as Sola liked to hide her worries from the world, one only had to look a little harder to find them clearly on her face.

"What did they- why did they..." 

"Torture me? For information, they wanted to know where BB8 was, they knew about the map, I don't know how, but they did" Letting out a sigh, Poe gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, as much as it pained him to look back on it, it looked like it was hurting her more to hear it. A strange revelation.

"When the traditional methods of cutting and beating didn't work" That made the both gulp, "Ren had another trick up his sleeve for me".

"Kylo Ren?" The Jedi killer, the sith apprentice and feared force user? Sola had heard whispers about him from Lizzy and Rose, what he was capable of had chilled her to the bone just thinking about it. The mechanic could see it was much worse experiencing it first hand from the paleness that overtook Poe's features.

"Hey" She took his hand instinctively, and squeezed, slowing down their pace a little so that he had more time to take his thoughts into a clearer direction. He looked haunted, terribly so, and Sola wished she could take all those dark memories from his head and bury them deep within herself. What she wouldn't give to suffer for him in his stead.

"The one and only, he..." Dameron hesitated, keeping his eyes forward "he invaded my mind, I tried to resist, fight back but it didn't matter. He got all the information he wanted about BB8".

That shattered her heart into a million pieces and left the fragments to blow away in the warm winds. It was her time to react, even as Poe stood, hollow, empty at the thought. Sola pulled him gently into a hug, her arms around his middle as she soothed her hands up and down his back. She wasn't sure if it would help, but it had helped her in the past, and so she would try it for him in turn.

"It matters Poe" The blond corrected, slowly feeling him respond and wrap his arms around her to bury his face in the side of her hair with a sigh that made her heart speed up, yet breathe a little easier. He was still with her, in the present.

It terrified her to even think about it, to have your mind brutally invaded and searched through like that "I...I can't even imagine what he did, what it felt like" The mechanic didn't want to sound like she could ever compare to such a thing, but she would at least try "but it wasn't your fault, none of it was. You tried your best-"

"I didn't do enough" Poe interjected quietly, only to make Sola shake her head and continue.

"You did everything you could, I know you did. Whatever Kylo did, you couldn't stop it" It was the sad reality of the situation, Poe wasn't a force sensitive person, neither was she, and neither was most of the Galaxy. And that was okay. Kylo had training in the sith ways, whatever he was capable of, they could not control. 

"My mother used to say, that in times where we struggle with things out of our control" Poe's arms tightened around her, she pushed back the idea that he might be afraid, it might make her cry pathetically again, instead her own hold mirrored his as Sola spoke "we need to find and do things we can control instead, and focus on them" Perhaps she should take that advice more often herself, but right now, it was just for him to hear.

"You couldn't control what Kylo took from your mind, but you can control how you respond to it. You escaped, you helped Finn, you saved the Resistance together with all the other pilots" the list could go on, she could stand here for hours and recite his every astounding achievement. They were endless in Sola's eyes, but she knew she could stop there. Because they were okay, and they were alive. 

"You told me to rely on other people more" She spoke again after letting the silence settle between them for a minute, the rustling of the grass at their legs occupying the space. "You can do that too, Poe, I'm here, whatever you need".

"You know you're a pretty good motivational speaker for someone who doesn't talk a lot" The words made her giggle as she let him go, Poe instantly following before he ran his hand through his hair and continued on "Your mother sounds like a smart woman". His mind settled its turmoil, her touch and words having worked its effect even if doubts still remained in his mind.

"She was" Sola fumbled with her hands, unsure of what to do now. Was she helping- had she helped? Or had her rambling gotten the better of her again. She should really learn to get that under control sometime.

"I'll hold you to your offer then, Sweetheart" The mechanic wasn't exactly sure what that would involve, but if Poe ever cared to ask for it, Sola would offer him everything and anything in her realm of possibility. She nodded.

"Let's keep going, BB will be waiting for us". 

She was starting to miss the little droid herself again too.

On their way back, more of the wild rivers and lakes waved by them in the distance. Though this time, after the heat of the day they had tracked through, its rippling surface was far too enticing not to stand and stare. So she did, stopped, and stared, at the endless blue depths until Poe finally noticed her absence from his side and turned around to see where his mechanic had wandered off to.

"I've never seen so much blue, not even on D'Qar" Her words were meant for herself, though Poe caught them as he walked back to stand beside her and watch the water of the lake move in time with the gentle breeze.

"You wanna go for a swim?" She was sure he was teasing when he made the offer, yet still Poe threw his jacket and bag aside and began unlacing his boots without waiting for an answer.

"You're kidding?!" 

"C'mon, it'll be fun" A second boot joined his first against the grass with a soft thud, the pile growing as he brought his hands around the bottom of his shirt and began pulling it over his head.

Turning away, Sola grew red instantly. She couldn't look at that, far too many unsavoury thoughts were filling her head of what he might look like under all of his clothes. Tanned skin, rippling muscles, she was sure he held all of those treasures and more concealed under his clothing.

Sola gulped, slowly setting down her own bag and jacket which had been draped over her shoulder before a splash in the water caught her attention. Turning, she caught a flash of the pilot's body before it disappeared under the water only to reappear with his wet bobbing head.

A laugh from him made her turn her eyes again quickly before she could take in the glistening of his broad shoulders. "The water's great, you're missing out" Poe chuckled shaking his head to free himself of the droplets of water that spilled down his face as he watched the flustered blond ashore.

Temptation pulled at her gut like the greatest beast she'd ever faced, the mere sight of his body in the water making it hard to keep her eyes focused on one thing for very long. She was sure he wasn't completely naked, the pile of clothes he'd left behind giving her confirmation, his underwear wasn't there. Still, Sola hesitated. She'd never been in water such as this before, hadn't even set her eyes on the sight until today. And now, with Poe happily swimming amongst the water, calling her to his side, the alluring call of his attention made her tighten her fists around belt on her trousers.

With shaking, nervous hands she pulled down her pants, exposing more of herself than she ever had to anyone else and keeping her beige tank top and undergarments on as she stepped up and into the edge of the lake. As soon as the water reached her aching toes a sharp inhale stopped her from going any further. It was cold.

"It won't bite" Poe had swam closer when he caught her nervous tremble, watching carefully the sight of someone who had never even attempted to enter a large body of water before. What wild ideas must be coursing through her mind right now, as they did his. She looked adorable, clad in her underwear and a tank top that barely hid her frame.

"I'm more scared of someone else bitting me" The slightest smirk tugged at her lips and Poe breathed a laugh reaching a hand out from the water towards her.

"C'mon, you'll love it, promise" The second her hand took his, Poe pulled her into the water with a wicked grin. All Sola could do was let out a shriek as her body collided with the cold lake, sinking until her head was under for just a moment before her hands and legs flailed to kick her back above the surface.

"Poe!" She breathed as the pilot beside her laughed at how hilarious she had looked in the water. What he didn't calculate however was how the mechanic was now splashing around manically in the water, drifting away from him, drifting under!

"I-I can't-!" He'd pulled her in too deep, too quick, she couldn't swim.

Gargled, grasping for air, Sola struggled to keep herself afloat in her panic, the water was pulling her under like she weighed a ton until she saw nothing but dark greens and blues. 

Under the water the sounds were different, muffled like if she screamed into a pillow. The sky disappeared from her sight, Poe disappeared from her sight. 

Until...  
he didn't, his hand grabbing her arm and hoisting her up for a much needed gasp of air.

"Shit, hell, I'm sorry I totally forgot!" He dragged her up against his chest until her feet felt moist earth and algae below again and she stood to cough the water from her throat harshly.

"Forgot I grew up on Tatooine?!" Somehow the ridiculous notion of all of this made her burst out laughing, running a hand through her soaked hair to remove the strands from her face. The water felt a lot less scary when she wasn't drowning in it.

Once he realised Sola wasn't angry or scared at his reckless action any longer, Poe let himself heave a sigh of relief and grin at her again, sitting down at the edge of the bank beside her, their legs still submerged in the cooling water that soothed their aching feet after hours of walking.

He was naked besides his underwear and the sight of his wet skin made Sola bite down on her tongue, staring for far too long before she tore her eyes away to look out into the water. "You're gonna be the death of me" She mused, hoping he didn't catch onto the way she'd been shamelessly taking him in.

"Because I almost drowned you?" The dark haired pilot mused back, unaware at how the blond had observed the way the water had cascaded down his bare chest.

"Something like that..." Came a hesitant reply. What Sola had failed to notice too however, was the way his own eyes had wandered over her frame, down her legs that disappeared into the dark water in time with the droplets of liquid that had graced her there. 

An unspoken admiration resided in them both.

"I could teach you how to swim" He finally turned to look at her, keeping his eyes pinned to her face as he spoke. For as much as he wanted to stare some more, he'd at least try to be a gentleman about it.

"I don't think I even want to attempt swimming again for a long time" Feeling eyes on her, Sola turned to look at him in turn. A small smile indicating her humour to the idea as she stretched her legs out into the water and leaned back to let the sun catch her face. 

Poe Dameron was sitting practically naked beside her, and all she wanted to do was ogle at him right now. The thought just wouldn't leave her head. 

In surrender, with a chuckle he concluded "Then I'll teach you once you do" before biting at his bottom lip to gather his wits. A single finger found its way up her arm, tracing a faint line that made her look up at him in surprise.

"W...What are you doing?" 

"Appreciating, admiring" Poe mumbled simply, watching the way her pupils dilated and goosebumps rose all over her skin told him she didn't seem to mind very much. 

"Me?" Sola tested carefully, unsure of why he was suddenly touching her arm so tenderly. His finger continued only to still on the side of her neck.

"You" Poe agreed softly, we was staring at her eyes again now and the way his brown eyes looked like honey in this light made Sola want to take a picture that would last forever. His curls shone brown, deep, his skin glistening, eyes heavy, chest rising and falling, his chest hair was the same colour as the hair on his head. Every aspect of him screamed perfect, and Sola stared to sear the image deep into her mind. 

He inched down then, just slightly, just enough to help her catch onto the action he was intending for. Poe hesitated however, waiting for her consent to the kiss she had been craving every second of the day since they'd finish their target practice the day before. Hovering over her smaller frame, he watched carefully as her blue eyes scanned his face, want calling him to close the gap.

Sola did it for him, her hand reaching out to his jaw, ghosting it for just a split second until she breathed heavy and pushed her wet lips against his own. 

The world stopped and they were alone again, just them, on Dantooine, by the lake as the water washed against their bare legs and cooled their burning skin.

This time, with a little more experience, but with the same amount of nerves, Sola pressed herself further against him upon instinct. Chest flush against his own through her wet shirt, her head tilting back just a little to accommodate him as he hummed against her lips. The sound made her heart leap with joy.

Their lips parted only slightly for a breath of air through their mouths before Poe pushed back down at her again, hands settling on her waist before he let himself fall back and pull the smaller mechanic up to sit on his lap and waist, one of her hands now in his damp hair while the other kept her upright by pressing down on his bare torso. 

Sola didn't even register the quick action until she pulled away to open her eyes.   
He looked angelic!

She was staring down at him. Maker, he looked divine at this angle too, slightly out of breath while he smirked up at her like that. His hand reached up to run across her cheek lovingly causing Sola's head to tilt into his touch without her holding any control over it at all. She was falling for him faster than the speed of light, and it scared her how easily Poe was embracing it all.

"You look adorable in my jacket" A weird confession for Poe to make at this time, but he felt the need to express it since he had forgotten to do so earlier. That and he didn't want to tell her how she was driving him mad half naked and atop him like this. 

"I'm not in your jacket" She meant right now, cocking her head in confusion but never away from his hand which was still tracing over her face.

"You definitely aren't now, no" Poe agreed cockily, making a show of raking his eyes down her body that made her hands fly up to cover herself. It wasn't like he hadn't already seen, but up until then she could pretend to have ignored it.

Ushering his hands over her arms her frowned at the action "Don't hide, Sweetheart". Glancing away and then back to him as Poe pried her arms away from her body he smiled again once she relaxed with a sigh and instead intertwined their hands. It was stupid, to fell self conscious.

"Sorry..." was the only word she could muster.

His hands were so large in her own, she hadn't even noticed how much bigger they were than her own up until now. The sight made her hold back a giggle. 

"Don't apologise" The blond barely caught the words, but they held the biggest impact regardless.

"BB8 will be waiting for us, we should go" As much as she wanted to remain here, like this, on top of him. The sun was setting now, the air around them growing chilly and cold. For as much as the water had cooled them down, it would now only cause them more trouble than it was worth if the stayed any longer. 

"Yeah, yeah you're right".  
With a sigh so heavy it made her laugh, Poe reluctantly agreed. Letting her go and helping her to her feat, they dressed together silently, wearing their respective coats and headed back down the trail of grass. Though this time, the Commander took his hand into her own as they walked. Sola did not object.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to pop a small thank you in here to anyone reading and leaving likes! Thank you all! I'm so happy and I hope you continue to enjoy the story as I have writing it.


	17. Rebel Scum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and Sola decide to scout out the inside of the old Rebel Outpost, things don't go to plan.
> 
> (Warning: This chapter includes Descriptions of graphic violence/torture and blood, read with caution if you're sensitive to those types of things.)

"How's it looking in there buddy, any signs of life?" Poe questioned his droid through the com on his wrist, listening intently ever since BB-8 had rolled silently up and into the broken doors of the base to check for any danger the following day. The pair remained a good distance away, laying flat on the grass out of sight just in case things went south. 

After another moment of silence BB replied softly, "Looks like we're all clear" much to all of their relief, BB-8 didn't seem to have found any danger from his brief search of the main building. Meeting them back outside by the entrance as Poe crouched down to pat his head "Great job buddy, we'll take it from here, you keep watch, if you see anything suspicious let me know right away" the droid took it's task seriously, without complaint it rolled off around the side of the round structure to keep watch. Sola could only watch silently with admiration. She wasn't going to intervene on their little moments of teamwork like that.

"Keep your guard up, we could find anything in here, and stay close" Taking out his blaster from the holster on his hip, his other hand around a flashlight, Poe lead the way once more, stepping carefully around the piles of rubble. Large chunks of ceiling had caved in, walls were cracking in several places, and much of the machinery was covered in a thick layer of grime. They needed to be careful, as stable as it still looked, she was sure it would be easy to accidentally knock over a whole wall. 

"I think the droid is this way" Pointing down one of the halls forking off to their right, Poe turned to her, pointing his flashlight in the direction to search for any signs she might've spotted. When he found none, he lifted his eyebrow in question.

"How do you know?"

"Scuff marks, on the floor, looks like an older model, but the marks look fresh" Sola pointed just ahead of them to the floor. Two thick lines broke up the dust and dirt just enough to be noticeable. 

"Fair enough" Impressed, Poe shrugged and headed in the direction, using the flashlight to guide them along the trail until they reached what looked like the old Command centre. It looked only to be in slightly better condition than the rest of the base.

Her steps echoed around the room as the mechanic came across the droid they'd been searching for. It wasn't a model she'd come across before, but it stood out from the rest of the room enough to tell her it didn't belong. "There" She mumbled scurrying over onto her knees to its side without hesitation. It looked to be powered down, with several scrapes and...was that a blaster hole in its head? Who-

"Watch out!" As soon as the warning left Poe's mouth, a force field surrounded the blond mechanic, a red blinking on the droids body catching her eye. A tracker, her movement must've activated it, whoever had blasted this droid to hell now knew they were here.

"Shit" Cursing under his breath as the pilot tried to find the device that powered the field, Poe looked around the room for anything that would help. A bigger blaster, maybe something to cut away the concrete from under her feet. Nothing, the room was filled only with rubble and broken parts. She was trapped.

"Shitshit, Sola can you disable the field?!" He looked more panicked than she did, though her eyes were wide in fear, all the mechanic was do was stare at him, frozen. 

"I-I don't think so" He didn't like that answer and began throwing himself against the buzzing wall only to grunt in pain and fly back a few meters "Poe..." he tried again, the flashlight falling from his hand clanking to the floor loudly. 

"Poe!" Sola tried again, trying to stop him from hurting himself as he attempted desperately to use sheer force to get her free. "Poe listen to me you need to go, hide, I'm not gonna get out of here without whoever made this letting me out" Her voice was surprisingly calm given the situation, it surprised even Sola herself as she spoke, standing slowly and looking around the room for any sign of someone nearby.

"I'm not leaving you" Angry, mostly at himself for not having seen this outcome as a possibility, the pilot gritted his teeth in frustration, there was no kriffing way he was leaving her here alone. 

"You have to, it's no use having us both here to be captured" This time her voice quivered just slightly and it broke his heart. 

"Sola, I'm not-"

"Poe. You can't free me if you're also in cuffs" he knew she was making sense, it was bad enough one of them was in this situation, it wouldn't help if he was in there with her even if he so badly wanted that to be the case. The fear in her eyes was evident now, her panic growing even as she managed to restrain it for them both.

"Hide your transmitter, I can track you though that, and stay alive" defeated, he stepped up to the barrier between them, biting at his bottom lip nervously as he took her in. How long would it be until he'd see his little mechanic again, would she even still be alive? That thought was one he didn't need to be thinking right now.

"I'll find you, whatever it takes Sola. Trust me"

"I know...I do" She never doubted him, not for a second, not even as he gave her one last reassuring look before picking up his flashlight and running down the hall to hide in another empty room. He would stay hidden but close, he needed to know who would take her even if he already dreaded knowing the answer to that question.

It didn't take long for the stomping of boots to echo down the empty hallways, BB-8 already having informed Poe of the squadrons arrival as he pilot hid quietly and told his droid to do the same. The group of Stormtroopers passed by the door he had kept lightly ajar without incident, a smaller figure clad in grey leading the troop. He didn't recognise them, but definitely a First Order official.

"Well well, and here I thought the Resistance was smarter than this" The voice which addressed her was modulated from under the sleek metal mask, female, gravely, but distinctly feminine. 

Sola turned to the forms of white that entered the circular room, surrounding her without another word and pointing their blasters at her head. She kept her mouth shut even with the taunting, she knew whatever she would say could be used against her, they wanted information, that's why she was trapped like this and not dead by now. Sola wasn't stupid.

"I'm just another farmer from Dantooine, I-I don't know what you want with me" She lied through her teeth with a stutter, eying each Stormtrooper in turn as if she could gouge their thoughts through their thick helmets. They remained stoic, waiting for further orders silently.

"Is that why you're wearing a leather jacket in summer, and can even attempt to examine a droid like this" Shit, whoever this person was, she got her there. None of the families native to Dantooine had need of a jacket like this, and access to any machinery even close to the sophistication of this droid. 

"Don't take me for an idiot, I know Rebel scum when I see one, cuff her and take her away" The forcefield around her was lifted not a moment later, and even as Sola made a last desperate attempt at escape out of the room, it was no use. Two of the men easily grabbed a hold of her, cuffing her wrists behind her and dragged her from the room, the tips of her worn boots scraping across the floor as she denied them the satisfaction of her compliance.

"We've wasted enough time on this planet, set detonators and prepare the ship for departure. Make sure there's none of this disgusting place left to find" The woman, even in her short stature compared to the Stormtroopers at her command, was in charge and ordered with authority and efficiency, running a gloved hand over one of the consoles so that she could frown at the layer of dust that had gathered in displeasure. 

Sola only hoped Poe managed to get out of this building and far enough so that the explosion didn't reach him, she doubted he was stupid enough to stay much longer either way. If he was here, he heard the instructions loud and clear. He, at least, would be okay.

The transport ship of the First Order was much bigger, and newer than the one her and Poe had landed on the planet with. It stood tall and black against the sky, blocking out any sunlight and casting a large shadow across the grass below it. It was parked right outside, and how the hell her and Poe had missed it, she wasn't sure. They must've hovered somewhere away from the planet, waiting for their trap to spring before entering the atmosphere. For what it was worth, the First Order wasn't stupid.

"Throw her in a cell, we'll have plenty of time to interrogate her once we arrive" Sola dreaded whatever destination they had in mind, even while the First Order Lieutenant revealed in her misery as the mechanic was thrown unceremoniously into a small metal cell her shoulder blades colliding painfully with the floor. "Don't get too comfortable" Were her parting words through the dark mask covering her face, the only thing of note was the white blond hair bound in the neatest little bun at the back of her head. Not one strand of hair was out of place. Order, it seemed, seeped even into the uniform regulations of the First Order.

"Inform Commander Ren and General Hux upon our arrival, they'll be pleased" Sola kept quiet for the remainder of the ride, the names mentioned from the Lieutenant down the hall making her shudder and curl up with her knees pulled up against her body at the corner of her cell. She really did not want to meet this masked killer, from how Poe had described Ren, he was formidable to say the least.

The star destroyer- no, this was a Dreadnought, was barely visible from the window across from her cell, it's dark grey outline being the only sign she could distinguish before they entered the landing zone where the sound of engines and troops greeted them.   
She would not let herself fall into a panic attack, not in front of these people, the First Order would not see her fear, or her dread, none of it. As much as Sola was distraught on the inside, the trust and hope she clung to for Poe to find her, it kept her grounded, at least for now. 

Even as they dragged her once more to her feet and out of the ship to be forced to her knees in front of two dark figures. One was thin with ginger, overly gelled back hair, and the other-

Sola sucked in a sharp breath before casting her eyes down quickly to the mans dark boots, Kylo Ren. His mask and suffocating presence gave him away more than a name tag ever would. This was Kylo Ren. She could die.

"We captured this Rebel scum on Dantooine Commander, General" The woman behind her spoke smugly, giving Sola another kick on her shoulder just to watch the Resistance member stiffen.

"Looks like they're already scouting for a new base"

"Clearly" Ren's voice, deep, modulated much like the woman's behind her, chilled her to the bone. Her legs felt weak and she couldn't help but clenching her hands into tight fists to try and hide how her fingers trembled.

"Have you searched her?"   
Oh no.

"S-Sir" The woman at her back faltered before ordering over a trooper to just that, he pushed her back up with ease, his hands raking down her body unceremoniously and without regard for her discomfort. The hidden tracker was easily found tucked in on the inside of her boot. Sola prayed they would keep her on this ship, even just a little while.

"I-I apologise Commander I-" Her voice choked up, like air had been taken from the woman's lungs and she choked suddenly on nothingness. 

Ren's hand was the only indication for any cause for her sudden distress, raised in her direction as the Lieutenant struggled to breathe. "I don't want your excuses" his modulated voice carried rage so deep and dark not even his words could express it all. Sola kept her gaze low, trying to keep out of his line of sight. She did not want to be in on the receiving end of that.

"That's enough" Hux spoke up beside the masked Sith apprentice, stepping forward and interrupting the punishment by clearing his throat "We have this scum, that's all that matters. They wouldn't dare mount an attack even if they did know where we are".

His smugness would be his downfall, Sola thought to herself, even if she appreciated his intervention to the scene.

"We will see" The punctuated parting words from Ren unsettled the mechanic further as he stormed away without another word, the flurry of his dark cape bellowing in his wake. His victim behind the mechanic dropped to her knees for a moment, gasping for breath as General Hux leered at her, unamused and impatient. 

"Take the scum to be interrogated" The tall man gave the Lieutenant another once over as she scrambled to her feet again giving him a curt bow of her head.

Hux didn't give another word in reply, grabbing the tracking device still alive in the troopers hands and stomping it into pieces under his boot, her lifeline was gone. He marched away after a hard glare in Sola's direction. She swore she saw his fist tighten in preparation to strike her. The hit never came.

"You heard the General" The woman behind her urged, causing the two troopers who had previously dragged her from the ship to jump into action. Lifting her roughly by her underarms and marching her out of the vast expanse of the landing bay. The Lieutenant didn't follow this time.

"Let..." She struggled against their strong grasp, "Let go of me I can walk!" She finally snapped, taking several uneasy steps forward as they finally relented and let her walk on her own volition. She was sure the hold they had used on her would leave bruises, not that it mattered right now. Sola needed to stay alive, even if she was beginning to dread the idea that it meant Poe and the Resistance might put their own lives on the line in order to find and rescue her again. 

"In here" the Stormtrooper stopped her after what seemed like hours of walking down the endless silent walls. The only sound that accompanied them had been their own footsteps, somehow she was beginning to miss the busy sounds of the landing pad. First Order or otherwise.

The interrogation room was small, a metal slab adorned with restraints greeting her in the middle as she let her eyes settle on the only item in the room. It was dark in here, in contrast to the bright lights of the black corridors, she had to let her eyes adjust to catch all of the details.

"Move, scum" a push on her back ushered her into the space, the troopers hands turning and strapping her into the table roughly while she protested under her breath. 

"No need to be so rough, I got it, you hate me" now was not the time to let her mouth run, even if it was her bodies only response with how scared and nervous she had become. The comment earned her a hit from the barrel of one of their blasters, stunning her momentarily as they strapped down her wrists so tight she swore they were intentionally trying to cut off the circulation in her hands.

"Shut up" The one who had hit her, hissed out from behind his helmet, staring at her a moment as if to take in her helpless state in satisfaction before he made his way out of the room. Only on of them remained, waiting silently by the door as the mechanic tested her restraints with several tugs before giving up and letting her head fall back.

Silence settled around the small angular room, her breath was the only thing she could hear even with the other person in the room. The more time passed, the more nervous with anticipation she became. Was Poe okay? Did he make it back to the Resistance yet? Would they...would they even think her important enough to try to rescue her. If she could, she would tell them no. She was not, and not to waste any of their lives in an attempt. 

Poe, with all his fiery passion, she imagined Poe would stand up for her. Demand a rescue, an attack, a diversion, anything to get her out. He would do it for all of his friends, she knew he wouldn't give up on her so easily even if it was a dumb, stupid, foolish idea. Sola could only hope the General would knock some sense into the reckless pilot. 

Her Pilot. She let herself believe that, just this once. While her eyes stared unfocused at the dark ceiling of the room roaming for anything to cling onto. Poe was her pilot, not in all sense of the word, but just enough to make her feel a part of his life, even if it had only been for a short while. She would remember his face, his smile, those thick curls of hair that could never be tamed. And BB-8, the little white and orange droid, she hoped he too would be alright. 

"So you're a Resistance mechanic then" A voice interrupted her thought- mourning process. Eyes snapping around to the new figure who had entered the room, a stranger, not a trooper but someone with more authority. Enough to warrant the absence of a helmet as he assessed her.

Whoever he was, the man held her small bag in one hand, throwing it at her feet like it was dead weight. Her equipment poked out from the bag together with the rest of the items she'd taken with her and had planned on using to repair the droid. It gave him all the clues he needed.

"That droid must've had some important information then, seeing as they sent you so far to fetch it" The way he was phrasing it, he didn't know what information it had been carrying in its systems. Good, at least that meant the agent had managed to wipe itself clean before they got their hands on it, which meant they now wanted that information from her instead. Not good.

"Tell me then, what did it know?" He stepped into her space now, his eyes dark, probably brown but black in the low light. His hand grabbed her chin roughly when Sola refused to meet his gaze, turning her head towards him with a sick smile on his lips. "Oh, we're gonna have a lot of fun you and me, they won't even recognise you once I'm done with you" That sounded like a promise, one that made her tremble uncomfortably.

"I do like it when they try to resist, makes it more of a challenge" So he was experienced then, probably trained for this cruel line of work. Sola couldn't fathom how someone took up this kind of job, how they learned to get good at it. He must've tortured a lot of people if that was the case.

Stepping away, and to a large panel to her left, he pressed an invisible button she couldn't make out before the metal slid upward to reveal an array of devices, torture devices. Scalpels, hooks, some sort of eclectic stun machine, and blunt wrenches definitely not intended to fix things. The arsenal made her feel sick to her stomach, dread rolling over her in waves until her breath was beginning to pick up and Sola averted her eyes again to stare at the ceiling above their heads.

"Tell me what information the droid carried, and I won't have to use these" He picked up on the change of her expression, her face having grown pale and her fists clenching painfully against their shackles. The torturer only smirked wider.

When she still did not give him the satisfaction of an answer, he frowned, picking up a scalpel in one hand while he used the other to grip her chin again and pull it towards him. "As you wish" was all he said before he began to cut a long line down the side of her chin, not deep enough to scar, but enough to draw a deep, pained groan from her throat as the blood poured out from under her skin and down her neck slowly.

"I'll make sure that red is the only colour you remember when you pass out, Resistance scum!" His words picked up in volume as he spoke, clenching his hand which held the scalpel into a fist before punching her across the face, over the side he'd just cut open. 

A grunt was all Sola could muster, the wound ripping open wider as she gasped repeatedly for air. It hurt, stung, ached, her whole head ached and she was sure some of her blood had splattered across her nose and mouth, she didn't want check. Her lips trembling. 

"Still nothing?" His dark tone breathed in her ear, a chuckle following before another hit to her face send her head spinning the opposite way and rest there. 

Everything hurt, but she would not yield. They couldn't know that there were still other Rebel bases, operational ones that they were searching for. They couldn't know that that droid had known the location to all of them, and they couldn't most definitely not know that she could repair this Resistance droid and override its functions to retrieve this data. 

"Fuck" Her eyes caught his, hard, steeled as they stared at him through gritted teeth "you", it earned her another cut over her collarbone, so deep it made black spots appear at the edge of her vision before he stepped back to his arsenal with a hum.

"Don't pass out on me just yet, we're just getting started" the mechanic was beginning to feel faint from the smell of blood under her nose, she knew that if she looked down and saw any of it she was gone. Even with the stench of her sweat mingling with the copper smell, it wasn't enough to cover it completely, even when she closed her eyes to pretend otherwise.

"Now now, eyes open" He didn't like that, wrenching her head forward by her hair, Sola's eyes shot open again to try and focus on his ugly face. 

"Tell me what the droid knew" He repeated, demanded, causing her to flinch before closing her eyes again. Whatever he wanted to do, he could do without needing her to watch. 

A cold hand wormed its way around her throat. Constricting her airways until she began struggling for air, squirming on the table from side to side, the restraints digging into her skin to leave red angry bruises while he growled at her side "Tell me, bitch" he kept pressing and pressing, every inhale she managed only managing to further his hold on her until she saw nothing but red-

Red, red, pain, and then with a rasping pathetic breath...blackness. 

Sola found herself back in a holding cell when she woke up, crumpled as a heap on the cold floor at an awkward angle with her hands cuffed in front of her. Throat spinning with the ghost of the man's grip still fresh on her mind, she took a few deep breaths to saviour the moment of peace before sitting up to take in the room. It was small still, but bigger than the one they'd thrown her in on the ship on the way here. It housed a single metal sheet coming off from the against wall, probably meant to be a bed of some sort. As well as a small table and what looked like the smallest metal toilet known to man. It was more like a bucket with a seat. 

How long had she passed out for, minutes...hours? Days, even? She couldn't be sure, it wasn't like they would be providing her with a clock, and with no sun, or windows for that matter to gouge any sort of time from, Sola would assume hours, barely. Everything still hurt and then she raised her hands to run over her face, small marks of red dusted her fingertips. Still fairly fresh.

Her body was exhausted, screaming at her just to succumb and sleep more, but she couldn't. Not with the pain that ached at every corner from her ankles, to her wrists and her neck. When she raised her fingers to prod at the sensitive skin of her throat the resonating sting made her wince, that one was the most painful, she wondered if it had bruised yet. 

For now the trembling mechanic remained silent. Resting her back against the far wall the greatest distance from the cell door. Her forehead lay over her knees as she pulled them to her chest. Silent tears reminded her of her fear, of her human emotions. It seemed the only emotion the first Order knew to express was anger. Anything else was covered by a mask. 

Would this be her grave? An endless dull, black and grey metal casket filled with people that only held hate for her and everything she cared about. 

"Bring her out, Lieutenant wants her back in the room" The trooper standing by the door came in without argument, practically carrying her by her arm back to the room she had just barely managed to get out of alive. She'd become too weak to walk on her own anymore, so tired her eyes could barely remain open as the white clad Stormtrooper strapped her back into place on the angled table. 

"Leave us" and the trooper was gone.

"Didn't think you'd last this long" The female Lieutenant's voice spoke up minutes later. Sola didn't even hear her enter the room, her ears were pounding again.

"Don't worry, Commander Ren will be with us shortly, after that your pathetic life will finally be over. It's a shame we can't beat the answers from you this time, we're in a bit of a hurry today it seems" Her words were harsh and hateful, drawing closer until she stood in front of Sola.

"I never thought I'd share father's sentiment" That was different, totally different from anything else she'd heard from the First Order before. Sola's head snapped up to face her in surprise. 

Who the hell was this woman?!

"Do you remember, how he used to beat us, blame us for mothers death, for all our misfortune on that wretched planet".

No. 

There was no way, no chance.

"G...Grace?" Sola's voice was rough, it hurt to speak but she swallowed and persisted for the truth "G-Grace, Grace is that you under there?!" 

It couldn't be, it shouldn't be- can't be! This was not the girl she grew up with, this was not her little sister.

"Gracie-"

"Shut it" The Lieutenant interrupted her with a smack across the face, shaking her head with displeasure at the mention of her old nickname. Her dead name, she'd abandoned it the second she joined the first order in favour of a number and a title. And proudly so.

"I always disagreed with him when he called you worthless" Grace continued, circling the table with her hands clasped behind her back, face still concealed by the grey and black mask she wore. 

"I'm starting to agree with him" 

It broke the heart in Sola's chest to hear her say such a cruel thing. Brought all the memories of their abuse to the forefront of her brain until she choked on the air in her lungs and shook her head frantically. 

This was her little sister, the First Order, they broke her.

"Yo...You're wrong Grace, he was wrong, all of this is-" Again she was hit, this time by her sisters closed fist colliding with her nose, it made disgusting crack, then a splatter that made them both aware it was now broken, bleeding down her chin.

"Unless you want to tell me what that droid denied us, you don't get to speak Sola, I don't care what you have to say" Since when did her little sisters voice sound so cold, so hateful. Sola never imagined her hating anything in this universe, least of all her own family. 

"I didn't want to believe it you know, when we found you on Dantooine. I thought I imagined it when I saw your face, my own sister, joining the rebellion group made up of murderers, thieves and deserters" Venom laced her words, spitting them at Sola until every syllable made the mechanic want to wince. 

"If you hadn't been of any use to us I would've put a hole though your heart right then and there" Grace's modulated voice laughed from below her mask, her hand coming to rest on the side of her older sisters weeping face.

"You disgust me" digging her fingers into the cut on her cheek painfully slow, Sola couldn't help the scream that followed, her head shaking to try and get her off without success. The Lieutenant revealed in her distress with a sickening cackle. 

"The Resistance, they're good, they...they fight for freedom, for life!" Sola's words fell on deaf ears.

This was not her sister anymore. 

"The Rebels are traitors, they deserve to die and rot. The First Order stands for loyalty, order above all. And if we have to use fear to achieve that, so be it"

She couldn't be serious?! Grace couldn't actually believe that?!

"That's not-" Sola was cut off again.

"How long did you waste your time one Tatooine after I left, months, years?!" Releasing her finally, Sola panted harshly from the pain, her mouth going slack as if to ease the hot buzzing through her split cheek somehow. It didn't help much.

"I waited...for you" The mechanic breathed lolling her head back with a low groan.

"Waited?! No" Grace laughed again adjusting the gloves covering her hands absentmindedly "You were hiding on Tatooine, it was the only life you knew, you always were scared of the universe. Pathetic".

Maybe, Grace was right with her cruel statement. Sola didn't argue back this time.

"Lieutenant, Commander Ren is coming" The trooper stationed outside of the door spoke up, causing Grace to straighten her back and head out of the room.

"Good" Was all that was muttered as she disappeared through the large door which slid open to reveal Kylo Ren behind it.

His tall masked frame took up the whole doorframe when he entered, his black robes sprawling out behind him like a shadow that followed his every step. Sola could feel his gaze giving her a once over before he approached her, his whole body hunched forward, strained, like he was ready for a fight whenever and whenever. She couldn't imagine standing like that for long periods of time was comfortable for anybody.

Was this how Poe had felt, when he was being interrogated, tortured. Would this be her end, after Kylo took whatever he wished from her head and she became useless again.

"I won't have to take anything from you, if you simply choose to tell me what I want to know"

Was he reading her mind already?!

The small mechanic stiffened in her position, hands clenching back into fists until her nails dug into the palms of her hands, the pain, she hoped, would keep her sanity together.


	18. Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following alongside the Last Jedi events, shit most definitely hits the fan. Sisters, from the present to the past.

No

This couldn't be it, this could not be how it ended. She was supposed to be part of the Resistance to make a change, to free the Galaxy, to help people. Not to end up sobbing on a First Order Dreadnought ship while every thought she ever had was examined until she would, inevitably, be cut in half with the glowing red wrath of Ren's lightsaber. She'd been staring at it strapped to his hip. At least, perhaps it would be a peaceful and quick death. A small mercy.

The hot trail of tears down her pained cheeks snapped her back to the present, her chest heaving up and down heavily as Kylo Ren hovered in front of her with an expression she would never get to witness hidden under his mask. When still, she would not open her mouth to answer him, the masked Commander took another step closer to end the small distance between them in the room. 

Air lodged itself in her throat. 

"As you wish" He didn't need to say anything else, his hand raised to her face. It was so large it covered everything within her sight, Sola imagined, that if he really wanted to, he could suffocate her with it and not even break a sweat. Her wet eyes squeezed shut in fear.

Pressure, the pressure on her brain was the first thing she felt. Like an ever growing migraine seeded deep within her organ that caused her breath to come out in sharp bursts and made her mind to lose its grip on reality, sliding through her fingertips like water- like blood. Head pounding against her forehead, she wept, distraught as Ren began his invasion without so much as a twitch from his hand. 

Was she really so easy to take apart? 

"Why were you tasked with retrieving that droid" His deep voice cut open her brain like a sharp cleaver, her forehead wrinkling and mind racing with thoughts she could no longer control. Every droid unit she'd ever worked on flashed by her, BB-8 being the most prominent one on which Kylo seemed to hover on for a moment longer before moving on. 

Her hands, burned, scraped and bleeding from a hard days work. Sitting in the cantina with her friends laughing. Ships buzzing by her head as she peered out into the D'Qar sky. 

Every memory played out clearly in her head, each one more painful to try to push away or control, Ren took them as they came, analysing each one for any worth before he delved deeper. 

"So you specialise in droids" He muttered under his breath, seeing her fiddling with a wire sometime in her past, she was little then, still a child on Tatooine and suddenly a sharp pain pulled Ren's hand away from her forehead for a second. A strike from her dead father across her little face, or rather, the memory of it had caught the Sith apprentice off guard.

Momentarily, Sola imagined this man had a family too, at some point. Parents, any kind of hint of a human emotion behind that dead unmoving mask. If he did, he didn't show it.

Just like that his large hand lifted to her distraught face again, giving her only a second to open her mouth and speak, beg, before he was in her head again "Don't, p-please, please don't!"

He didn't care, again the memory of her little sister passed her by. Grace's warm smile in the morning sun, sand cookies in her hand, and a laugh she would never hear again until she was screaming in the present. Voice echoing around the room until finally Ren came across what he had been looking for. Poe, holding her, kissing her, and eventually, there with her in the General's office as the stern woman explained their mission to them. 

Everything, Ren heard everything and more.

Her head ached and buzzed when the Commander was done with her, watching her head fall back exhausted and spent with nothing left to give. "You mean something to him, to the pilot" Dameron, the one that had escaped them only days prior. The hate that boiled in his mind at the sight of the pilots face in her mind had almost managed to overwhelm Kylo had he not made a conscious effort to focus a little harder. This puny, weak, mechanic meant something to him, which meant he would most likely come to retrieve her if he could. That knowledge was useful.

Sola didn't hear anything else from him before he left the room, called away by a distant voice she did not recognise until she was finally alone again and fell easily into unconsciousness. They had everything they wanted now, she could die in peace.

Alarms, blaring loud alarms jump kicked her body awake. A red light above her head indicating that what she was hearing was real. Something was happening. Something big.

The room around her shook, no, it wasn't the room that was shaking but rather the whole ship it was apart of. They were under attack! By whom, Sola did not now. She both prayed and dreaded the Resistance. A dreadnought was too big, too powerful, they shouldn't be engaging with one at all if they could help it. And if it were them, did they know she was onboard, were they coming to rescue her?

Heart hammering in her chest, Sola began to struggle again. Everything made her groan in pain but even still she struggled. In the end it was useless however, the restraints were too strong and she was a battered and bruised little body in comparison. What would she do anyway, if she got out? She couldn't fly a ship, and she doubted the First Order would just offer her up a fresh ship and a pilot as a parting gift. 

Useless, she was useless. Even while the alarms blared painfully into her ears, and no more tears fell from her stinging red rimmed eyes, there was nothing she could do now, not for herself, and not for the Resistance.

The mechanic wasn't sure how long she had been staring at the ceiling for when the door to the room slid open out of her sight. White filled her vision, the visor of helmets hovering on either side of her. Their blasters raised to her forehead, aiming for a lethal blow that made her want to sob again. 

Those blinding shots, never came. Instead, the one on her right aimed a little higher and shot his counterpart in head instead, with a clunk of armour hitting the floor, he was dead.

"Up, get up, we need to go" His modulated voice made her turn her head to him slightly, right eye squinting, obscured from the blood that had trickled its way from her forehead into her eye hours before. Why was this stranger suddenly helping her? Was this a trap?! 

"W-Who-"

"It's me, Sweetheart you need to get up, now!" He was undoing her cuffs with a click of a button as he spoke through the helmet in a muffled, hurried tone. The nickname told her everything. 

"P-Poe?!" Sola coughed at the use of her hoarse voice, sitting up and covering her mouth until she spat out blood and saliva. Not a pretty sight.

"Poe?!" Picking up the blaster of the dead trooper on the floor, he pressed it into her hand before finally taking off his helmet, the rest of the white, blinding, Stormtrooper uniform following to reveal his orange and white flight-suit.

"Told you I'd find you" The pilot smiled for only a second before taking in her injuries with anger flaring in his body. Hands so tight around his weapon his knuckles turned white. They'd tortured her worse than they had him, probably cos she'd spent more time with them. She looked so weak, barely keeping herself seated upright as the pilot took her arm and helped her up onto her feet. 

A broken, crooked nose. Several angry developing bruises on her face and neck. Two deep, torn cuts on her cheeks, another along her collarbone which still wept a little. What made the rage deep inside his gut coil tightly the most however, was the impossibly large, red and purple bruise around her delicate neck. Shaped like a handprint. What he wouldn't do to find whoever had done this and-

"You're gonna be alright, let's get you out of here" The hope that sparked in her eyes from the sight of him made him stop the bitterness of his ugly thoughts. They needed to hurry if they didn't want to get caught. Getting onto the ship was one thing, but sneaking back off of it was another challenge completely. Again the walls around them shook.

"They decided to attack base while you were gone, we were in the middle of evacuating, I was the distraction" Poe summarised, slinging one of her arms around his shoulders to help her walk as they marched their way out of the room, and after making sure the corridor was empty, down the hallway towards the hanger. "Should've heard Hux, he was pissed" The idea of Poe pissing off General Hux somehow made her smile inwardly, Sola might've even laughed if she weren't in such excruciating pain.

Sola remained quiet, listening and concentrating on keeping herself upright without passing out from the pain or blood loss and holding onto Poe and the blaster he'd pushed into her shaking hands. If she did anymore than that she feared her legs might just give out. They needed to get off of this wretched ship, that was their priority right now. Poe had risked his life coming here, and she would not let him risk it for nothing.

"Almost there Sweetheart keep going you're doing great, eyes forward" It was easier said than done, everything hurt and she could barely see out of one eye. Every step made her wince, and every breath rattled her struggling lungs. The noise of the alarms were somehow getting louder, and she swore the walls were beginning to close in on them. Was that possible?

The Resistance Commander was about to thank the stars that they hadn't come across many Stormtroopers in the long hallway as they tracked forward hastily, shooting down fairly easily any that were unfortunate to rush by, it seemed the fight outside was proving enough of a diversion for them to focus on a single prisoner. At least, that was until three figures greeted them by his black X-Wing. Two stormtroopers and a woman clad in a dark shiny mask peered out at them as they stopped dead in their tracks. Not good.

"You think we wouldn't know you would try to come for her, Commander Dameron" The Lieutenant laughed from behind her mask, the troopers guns aiming at the pair as they stared them down. If they moved now they were toast, out in the open like this, one of them barely conscious.

"Ren told me what he saw before he left, you can't even imagine my surprise, that anyone could love Sola?! How laughable" 

Poe stiffened beside her, Sola was sure he was questioning everything from Grace's mouth at that moment, trying to make sense of her words. Who was this woman, how did she know Sola, and, if it were even a tiny bit true, how did she know of the feelings involved between the mechanic and the pilot in front of her. He couldn't know, not without context. And the blond wanted to give him none of it. Not right now.

"Kill him-"

"NO!" Sola's raspy voice cut short the command from her sister, another cough leaving her lungs before she lodged herself free from Poe's support and stumbled forward a few steps. He attempted of course, to follow her, but Sola stuck out her hand behind her to signal for him not to follow. She needed to do this on her own.

Grace only tilted her head, seemingly uncaring of the time restraint they were all under with the fight raging on outside. 

"No, don't hurt him" head spinning, Sola tried to focus her eyes on her little sister, trying to remember the face behind the mask she wore. Did she still posses the same blue eyes she herself carried? Was she still able to smile as brightly as she had when they were kids, when Sola carried her on her shoulders around Mos Eisly. It didn't matter now, none of it really did. 

"Let him go, I..." What she was about to say would hurt Poe most of all, "He means nothing, take me as a prisoner I'll cooperate, forget about him. You're my sister, my only family" every syllable made her want to rip out her tongue and throw it into a fire, watch it burn to ash and throw herself in alongside it. 

The Lieutenant faltered, shifting on her feet before approaching slowly. Just enough until she was within arms reach to place her hand onto Sola's shoulder. Did she believe her? Believe the terrible lies that had made Poe frown behind her, hand ready on his blaster. It broke the blond's heart to imagine that he had taken to heart any of it. Even for just a moment.

"We both know you were never a good liar" Grace began, quietly, sympathetically almost. 

"Please, Gracie...don't" 

Grace laughed instead, shaking her head and removing the mask from her face all of a sudden. It slid off easily to reveal the grim truth behind it. Scars, burns, a lot of them, deep and ugly enough to cover most of her youthful face. It wasn't a pretty sight. The cost of war. Sola grimaced, but never looked away.

"Don't make me-"

"The Resistance did this to me, I was young when I joined, they didn't care" She spat out against her older sisters face, though hate resided in her blue eyes, Sola could still make out the past behind them. They looked the same as the last time she'd seen them, years ago.

{ Ten Years Earlier: Tatooine }

"Did Mama like sand cookies, Lala?" Sola turned to her younger sister, barely ten years old as they sat together outside the cantina in the setting Tatooine suns. She smiled at the question, giving her a pat on the head while she hummed to herself and turned back to watch the sunset.

"She did, they were her favourite thing ever!" A fifteen year old Sola grinned wider at the giggle that left Grace, chomping away on the little crumbly cookie in her hand. It wasn't often they managed to get their hands on them, a rare treat, but whenever Sola managed to round up enough credits she always made sure to get them one each. Of course she wouldn't let her sister know that most of the credits had been stolen. The bruise on her chin would account to that fact, though she brushed it off when asked about it.

"Lala?" It was the nickname Grace had given her older sister from when she was a baby, easier to pronounce then her full name, and all the more endearing because of it. 

"Hm?" Putting the rest of her own cookie down into her lap, Sola swung her legs back and forth over the edge of the bench shaped stones they were sitting on together. They were waiting on their father to finish up his nightly dealings in the cantina, he would be a few hours yet. And would most likely appear drunk and angry like he always did, Sola wasn't looking forward to that part.

"Do you think we will ever get to fly?" Her little sister sounded...sad, almost. Worry crossed her features as Sola turned her body to face her completely, holding out what was left of her cookie which was eagerly accepted by Grace with a small grin. 

"I think we will, Mama always said that her home planet, Naboo" Grace perked up, having always loved the small stories her older sister managed to remember of the place. There weren't many, but their mother had always handed out the details with a flair for dramatics. "That we would see it someday" Sola's hand wove through her sisters dirty hair, wind-swept and dusted by the sandstorm earlier that day.

"She used to say that it would call to us, that we were meant to be there" Shoving the rest of the sand cookies into her mouth, Gracie jumped up into her feet, standing above Sola with her hands pointed towards the sky.

"Then I will make sure we get there! I'll learn to fly, or you can build a droid that can fly!" The ideas sprouting from the young girl made Sola laugh out loud, shaking her head and urging Grace back to sit down. As glorious as those ideas were, they were a little ridiculous to imagine given their situation. 

"I'll try my best if you do?" The elder girl raised her pinky up to her younger sister.

"Promise?" Gracie asked, intertwining her own smaller pinky with Sola's own,

"Promise" Was Sola's firm answer, shaking their fingers together before gathering her into her arms to assault her with a flurry of tickles that made them both giggle wildly. They would make it off of this planet somehow, together.

{ Present }

"Every single one of them deserve to die" That was Grace's final decision, both of the sisters knew that, and both of them knew what needed to be done because of it. Whatever had happened in the past, whatever love had been between them, it did not count for anything now. They had lived through enough to realise that. They were two new, completely different people, two sides of the same coin, scorned.

The Lieutenants blaster raised over Sola's shoulder, aiming right at Poe's head as she took her steeled eyes away from her sister and behind her instead "You'll watch him die, and then you'll join him, big Sister. Like you deserve".

Sola hesitated to breathe, hand still tight around the blaster she'd been given earlier, barely raised against her sister's chest, her enemy.

"We both know you're not strong enough to use that".

Gracie was wrong.

The blaster shot that rung out was deafening. 

"Lala...?"

Even more so, was the sound of the dead body which hit the floor. Followed up only by another array of fire until two more joined the ground with a thud.

Silence.

"Sola?" Poe approached her from behind, easing a hand onto her shuddering shoulder as she kneeled over her sisters dead body heaving silent sobs, clutching her against her chest desperately. Already Grace's fingertips were losing their hue, her eyes wide, open, cold. Sola had just killed her own little sister, her only family in this galaxy. She had only just found her again and now...

Now she was gone. Forever.

"I'm...I'm so sorry, but we need to go, this ship is about to be blasted to hell" Poe tried again, running his hand down her arm before trying to pull her up against his side. Sola could only shake her head, grasping ahold of the lifeless body under her, gripping it with all her might and shoving Poe away.

"No! No..." Voice faltering, the mechanic buried her head against her sisters shoulder, "No..." breathing in everything she could reach as more tears dripped onto Grace's smooth skin. "Gracie..." She looked peaceful like this, at least. No anger, no resentment in her features, and no cruel words left to be said.

"Sola, listen to me, we need to go!" As much as Poe understood this horrendous pain, the floor was beginning to tilt under them, this wasn't the time to grieve, as insensitive as that might be. 

When Sola remained on her knees, making no move to get up herself, the pilot choose to do it for her. Grabbing her around the waist he hurled her against his chest and practically dragged her towards his X-Wing kicking and screaming, their blasters lay forgotten, useless inside a star fighter ship.

"Stop! No, look at her Poe, we can't leave her! I-I'm not leaving her!" Even as she kicked and scratched at his arms, Poe easily hoisted her up into his ship, sitting himself down and pulling her down onto his lap with a grunt of pain. Sadly his ship wasn't really meant for two, but he'd make do.

"We have to, there's no space, and no time" He spoke calmly, holding her wrists down against his chest so Sola couldn't hit him in her frenzy. He gave her a second then, to think, to breathe, and to calm herself down until she grew silent again and buried herself against him, face hidden in his neck, gripping the cloth around his collar. The smell on his flight-suit was reassuring, if only a little.

"She's gone..." flicking on the engines, the canopy above them clicking shut, Poe easily raised the ship into the air with the help of BB-8 at their rear. The astromerch remained silent. It soared smoothly into space and away as First Order troops flooded the flight deck behind them, firing but missing as he sped away quickly.

"I know" Was all Poe could say, helmet back on his head, one arm around her back to push her against him while his other remained to steer the ship back towards the Resistance fleet which were amidst the bombing run he had split off from previously. 

They watched as another two of his squad were shot down, Poe frowning and yelling commands into his com system, Paige was the only one left. The last Resistance bomber, a single long ship hovering over the massive dreadnought below. 

"Paige, come in!" Poe was yelling into his com, fear striking harshly in his tone, "We're over the target, why aren't your bay-doors open?!" Sola sat up a little straighter to watch, dread filled her body at the sight. A massacre, it looked like a mess out there.

"You're the only bomber left, it's all down to you!" And what a responsibility that was. The mechanic gripped Poe's flight suit tighter, praying silently for the woman's success as well as her dwindling hope at safety.

Seconds dragged on into what felt like agonising hours, Poe's voice growing more desperate beside her as he yelled "Paige!" Sola wanted to cry for him, for all of them, "Drop the payload now!". If they didn't succeed in this, they were dead, all of them, the Resistance would be gone. 

The bomber was hit, damaged at the cockpit and Sola held her breath. Poe was screaming again for Paige, for anyone on board, but no answers came. Everything grew dull, silent in hear head. Like the shell-shock ringing of a live grenade that had just gone off right beside her ear.

She imagined Paige right now, alone aboard the most important ship in the Galaxy in that moment. Probably hurt in some way, struggling to open the bay doors with hundreds of live bombs at her sides. Was she even still alive? Had the hit killed her already? 

Rose, what about Rose.

"Bombs away" 

Just like that they rained down on the First Order vessel like streaks, pebbles of death. Exploding upon contact with the surface of the Dreadnought while, whatever was left of the Rebel fighters, silently watched. And then cheered. 

It was over, for now. They'd done it, but at what cost.

"I know you feel like you want to die right now, and like you wanna give up" As they landed on back on the cruiser of the Resistance, Poe settling down the ship with a harsh push of a lever. He took the blonds head into his hands gently, coaxing her to look at him through the visor on his helmet. When she did, emptiness greeted him harshly. 

She already looked dead.

"Sola, you can't give up, we need to keep fighting do you hear me?" He searched those dark eyes frantically, smoothing his thumbs across her split cheeks, careful to avoid the cuts as he spoke.

"I...I want to die"

That broke him.

"I know it feels like you do, Sweetheart" He couldn't even imagine her loss right now, killing the only family you had left. And to save him in exchange? He wanted to cry for her, yet, there was more that needed to be done right now. They needed to save what was left. 

"The Resistance needs us right now" Sola's eyes slowly trailed up his chin to meet his own, his words, the weight of them settling on her shoulders. They needed him, he couldn't stay here and babysit her right now. This was Commander Poe Dameron, and the Resistance needed him to survive. 

She knew he said 'we', but Sola knew that meant him.

Giving the smallest nod and smile she could muster, fake, Sola began making her way out of the cockpit and down the steps.

Poe addressed BB-8 behind him, relief on his face "Well done pal" the astromerch chirped happily as Poe handed off his helmet to the mechanic who appeared to assist him. Sola felt useless.

"Finn. Naked. Leaking, bag, what?!" BB8's words made her frown from below as well, "You fry a chip?" trying to put together the mass of binary as the droid looked out towards the hanger doors, it caused both Poe and Sola to turn to look. 

Finn. Comically waddling around in a leaking bacta-suit.

Poe was out from his ship in an instant, practically flying down to her side "I need to-" Sola understood, and she could do nothing to help him right now but give him a nod. He needed to look after Finn and find the General, while she just needed to a moment to breathe and compose herself, somehow.

"Go"

"I'll find you later" As much as the pilot wanted to hug her, to kiss her, and sit with her for however long she needed him for, right now, he needed to make sure he knew what was happening. 

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Poe was gone, maintenance workers racing by him to tend to the damaged ships with a flurry of activity.

Sola didn't follow, instead she dragged herself onto an empty crate at the corner by the large sliding door way. Seating herself with a sigh, her hands covering her face. She didn't cry anymore, though she felt like she should. Numbness was her new best friend, the thoughts of Grace's dead eyes filling her head until she wanted to be sick again like she had when she spotted the same eyes on the dead Stormtrooper on Takodana. Her sister was gone, the Resistance were making their escape, and she felt so bitterly alone again.

"Sola?" Lizzy crouched down in front of her, her hands covering the blond's shoulders carefully "Are you hurt Sola, let me see" Her voice was soft, a startling contrast to the rest of the large hanger occupied with shouting mechanics and buzzing drills.

"Poe told me you're here, I need to see your injuries sweetie" Lizzy tried again, gently prying away her friends hand from her face and holding them in her own as she assessed the grim injuries with her eyes. "You're gonna be okay, let me clean you up and apply some bacta-patches alright?" 

Sola didn't reply. She felt too weak to move, to speak, to think. The droid mechanic feared she might fall back into a panic if she thought about anything right now.

Lizzy knew shock when she saw it, and handled it skilfully as she began to hum a soft tune under her breath while she worked. Cleaning the cuts and bruises with a clean disinfectant cloth, Sola only winced once after that ignoring the pain, before applying the patches over her friends cut cheeks and collar. Then she added some bacta spray to the invisible injuries on her head and neck before sitting herself down on the crate beside her.

"This is gonna hurt...sorry" Lizzy made sure not to let her think on that for too long before she snapped the blond's nose into place and placed another bacta-patch on top. This time Sola did cry out, albeit it strained, eyes squeezing shut momentarily at the flash of pain that spiked to her brain and back.

"All better see, here, take these" Lifting Sola's hand, she pressed two green pills into her palms, waiting and watching the mechanic eye them before she gave her a reassuring nod "for the pain".

Sola swallowed them wordlessly.

"You look like bantha-shit" The comment made the blond haired woman smile only slightly before dropping her eyes to the floor again. Lizzy didn't push her to say anything else, instead, turning her head slightly so she could take out the ruined buns in her friends hair and arrange it into a convenient braid at the back of her head instead "Better, but you need a shower. And you should head to the lower levels for a change of clothes as well, these are all..." Both of them looked down at Sola's blood stained clothes, blood which wasn't entirely the mechanics own. Grace's. The thought made her hyperventilate instantly.

"Hey, Sola, hey it's okay, it's okay" Pulling her friend into a bone crushing hug the second Lizzy caught onto the trigger, the medic rocked her from side to side against her chest, gently petting her head to try and calm her as Sola shook in her hold.

"You're okay, you're gonna be fine, I'm here" They remained like that for a long couple of minutes until Sola was stable enough to stand, Lizzy guided her down to the maintenance levels, opening up a small storage room and pulling out a mustard jumpsuit for Sola to change into. It was a little big, but much better than the dirt, sweat and blood stained civilian attire she'd been wearing since landing on Dantooine.

Once she was dressed and had a moment to shower in the fresher, Lizzy guided her into a makeshift seat before taking her leave back to the medical wing of the ship, they needed all the help they could get right now.

Though she knew she shouldn't, Sola couldn't help but wander to try and keep her occupied. Which ultimately ended her back inside the control centre at the top of the ship. Poe must have entered only just before her, the orange of his clothes catching her attention in the room as she dragged herself inside and into a corner to watch quietly, Sola didn't want to distract anyone. 

Smack.

Did the General just slap Commander Poe Dameron? The shock made Sola blink at the sight, listening to the woman's angry words as she, demoted him!? Well, guess he was Captain Dameron now. 

He seemed persistent still in his decision to engage the Dreadnought, as great as it was that they had taken it down, and freed the mechanic on the side. Sola agreed with General Organa on this one, they'd lost too much because of it.

"Poe get your head out of your cockpit" To her surprise the General's words made a smile twitch at the blond's lips, she hadn't imagined she would be able to smile again so soon.

"There are things you cannot solve by jumping into an X-Wing and blowing something up!" Leia continued to lecture him, Poe seemed to be growing agitated at her words of truth, looking away around the room with his hands on his hips. He even caught Sola's eyes for a split second before turning to the General again nodding slightly to himself while his jaw clenched "I need you to learn that" Leia's word was final.

Poe didn't seem to like that, grabbing the older woman's arm gently to get her attention as he spoke lowly, "There were heroes on that mission".

"Dead heroes, no Leaders" Leia Organa stomped away and Poe look like he had just been struck with a dreaded realisation and disappointment, most likely in himself. 

"You look better" Sola's eyes had been wondering around the room again, resting on Finn who was speaking to the General now and was back to being dressed in Poe's jacket again, he looked well. The Pilot caught her attention with his statement, making her shrug and cross her arms across her chest to try and hide her body from him. She didn't feel like the looked any better, he probably saw more bacta-patches on her face than actual healthy skin. 

"So it's Captain Dameron now?" Sola joked offhandedly only causing an eye roll from Poe, opening his mouth to retort something undoubtedly smart and funny before an alarm around the room made everyone look up from their consoles.

"Proximity Alarm" Something was closing in on them. Sola gulped. 

"They found us" Another woman stated as Poe rushed away. 

"That's impossible..." He said what probably everyone was thinking in that room, stunned and astounded at the realisation that the First Order had just found and tracked them down so easily. 

Sola was bitting nervously at her bottom lip again as people began running around, alarms ringing again while they searched for a way out. They only had enough fuel for one more hyperspace jump "Do it we gotta get outta here" Poe, ever the reckless pilot instructed without thought before the General raised her hand to cut him off.

"Wait" Sola turned to stare at her, as did Finn and Poe, "They've tracked us through light-speed" That made the mechanic's gut wrench painfully. But that was impossible right?! There was no way.

Finn agreed with her silent thought, causing the older woman to nod, looking just as stunned as the rest of them "Yes, but they've done it" 

"So if we jump to light-speed, they'll just find us again and we'll be out of fuel" Finn continued on, building the dread and hopelessness further in Sola's gut until she felt bile rise in her throat and she hurried out of the room, to the nearest fresher to vomit. Not her proudest moment.

Needing something else to focus on which wasn't so gut wrenching, Sola began to wonder until she reached the hanger. Poe and the General would handle the fate of their cruiser, nothing she knew or could do would help them in this instance, better to be out of the way. 

The least she could do now was help prepare the fighters, rolling up her sleeves she set to lifting and bringing several mechanics the tools they needed. She had no idea how to fix a ship of this caliber, but Sola was sure as hell going to help whoever could. It wasn't log until they were readying themselves for a battle again, she could tell with how the pilots began pouring into the hanger around her. Diving into their cockpits. 

Which meant Poe would join them too. Letting fall whatever wrench she was holding, Sola ran towards the doors to try and meet him. She at least wanted to wish him good luck before he went. It may be the last time she'd see him...the thought made her blink away tears.

BB-8 raced by her feet towards Black One as she barely managed to dodge him, her eyes turning up just in time to collide with Poe's chest who caught her swiftly by her upper arms "Sola?" He sounded winded, breathing heavily as he assessed her for a brief second "What are you doing here you should be resting-"

The pilot's eyes snapped up, past her, towards his ship before he turned their bodies around just fast enough to take the brunt of the explosion which consumed the hanger behind them and resulted in both of them, as well as poor BB-8, to fly out of the doors into the hallway. 

Fire. Everything was on fire when the mechanic looked up from Poe's chest, her back and shoulder blades hurt from the rough landing. Everything inside the landing bay was burning, Black One was rubble, standing out framed against the blistering flames. There was nothing neither could do as the doors sealed themselves shut to keep the damage contained within. Their fleet was gone.

"Poe, Sola, you alright?" Finn appeared at their side, holding onto Poe and helping him up and off of Sola who remained on her back. The pilot was distraught, staring at the shut doors as he replied, gravely, and in obvious distress.

"We need to get out of range of those star destroyers" Only then did he turn to his blond mechanic, having totally forgotten she had been in the hanger with him momentarily only to regain his senses and thank the stars she had been by the doors when he'd entered.

"You okay?!" Reaching down Poe and Finn took one of her arms each and hoisted her up onto her feet.

"Y-Yeah..." She looked as stunned as he did, wide eyed, covered in soot and bits of derby he tried to dust from her jumpsuit for a moment. 

"Go find somewhere quiet, we'll figure this out" Poe addressed her sternly, nodding to himself and Finn who returned the gesture. Sola was about to dispute, offer up any help she could give when the pilot shook his head "That's an order Sola" His voice was firm, he wasn't going to take no for an answer. She didn't argue. 

"Good luck".

Giving a battered BB-8 a small pat she hurried away down into the maintenance levels of the ship, she might end up being more useful there. Even if Poe had specifically told her to take it easy, now was not the time.

Running until she came across the escape pods that lined the edges of the ship, Sola slowed down to a walking pace. Each escape pod was as enticing as the next, though she had no idea where she even wanted to go if she ever took one. Sniffling caught her attention, making her automatically steer towards the sound until she came across Rose. The smaller woman was crying, clutching the pendant around her neck. Why was she-

Paige. 

And then it hit her. Sola was reminded she was not the only one who had lost a sister today.

"Rose?" Her dark tear rimmed eyes snapped sound at the mention of her name, searching until she found Sola stood a little ways down the hallway. 

"Sola?" Rose's own voice was small and weak, mirroring the blond's.

"It's me" Approaching slowly, she hesitated before sitting down beside her. She wanted to share in her grief, but how could she even begin to bring up the subject. It seemed wrong to talk about it, an unspoken reality neither of them wanted to accept.

"I lost her too" Sola started bluntly, for the first time in her life, she didn't want to beat around the bush. "My sister I-"

Rose looked at her fully then, her hand making its way around to take a hold of her friends beside her "I found her again and now she's-" 

Dead, yet the word refused to leave her mouth and make itself known.

The dark haired woman beside her didn't need to hear it to understand and nodded squeezing gently as they both shuffled closer to one another and leaned their heads together as if their bodies were shielding each other from a battle. One without weapons or injuries. One purely inside of their own grieving minds.

"Paige is gone, she died taking down the Dreadnought" Rose's voice cracked around the edges and Sola gripped her hands tighter in her own again. Nothing else needed to be said.


	19. Hold On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance Cruiser is in trouble, time to form a team and a plan to save them all.

They sat in silence for a little while. Each one silently comforting the other in their mutual loss, Rose would sniff her nose every once in a while, clutching and rolling the crescent shaped pendent in her fingers. Sola wanted to ask about it, but was unsure if the meaning of it would cause the smaller woman any further tears. Did Paige have one just like that?   
Thinking back on the time at the small bar on D'Qar, she was sure she'd seen the metal glistening from under the pilots shirt that time. The alcohol made the memory a little hazy. 

"You should be proud" Sola broke the silence with a soft voice, afraid to speak but feeling the need to say something "Of what she did, she probably saved a thousands of lives that Dreadnought could've ended" it probably wasn't what Rose wanted to hear right now, but the mechanic felt like it was something she had to say. Because yes, she was proud of Paige, even if she died, she at least died for something honourable.

"I wish she didn't have to die because of it though" With that, Rose was right and Sola fell silent again. The words of the General rung in her ear, a distant reminder, 'but at what cost?'.

Boots, footsteps, the sound of someone walking nearby caused both of their heads to lift in it's direction. The figure of someone tall disappearing around a corner towards the escape pods. Was someone trying to...run away? Somehow Sola wouldn't blame them if they did, the survival of the Resistance seemed very bleak right now, even if she trusted and put her life in the General's and Poe's hands.

Rose didn't share her sentiment and was on her feet instantly, causing Sola to sigh and hurry to follow her. 

"What are you doing here?" Rose wiped her face free of tears as she walked, rounding the corner several fast paced steps in front of the blond girl who tired to keep up. Rose had a lot more energy than she did at the moment.

"Hey, Hi....I was- uhhh, you know I was just-"

Why did that sound familiar, was that-

"You're Finn!" As soon as Rose pronounced the name, Sola stood by her side, taking in the taller man as he seemed taken aback by the recognition.

"The Finn" The smaller woman exclaimed, star struck almost, as if she'd just met some great hero- well, Sola supposed, Finn was a hero in a way, though she seemed more confused at his presence here rather than awestruck.

"Finn? W-What are you doing here?" She watched him struggle for an answer, looking over them both with raised eyebrows.

"The Finn?" He mused adjusting Poe's jacket like it was a shield, like armour. Sola felt selfish for feeling jealous he had taken to it so well, it suited him almost better than it had suited Poe...almost.

"I work behind pipes all day" Rose clarified quickly, seeing the astounded look on the dark skinned man's face as he listened "Doing-Talking to Resistance heroes isn't my forte".

"Doing....doing-talking" Sola caught the nervous slip up and placed a hand on her friends shoulder to try and calm her nerves. Somehow she imagined this is what she must've looked like when she had first met Poe. Wide eyed, babbling, messing up her words. 

"I'm Rose" The black haired woman introduced after her quiet debate, Finn gave her a once over before glancing at Sola confused, for an answer she couldn't voice in fear of embarrassing Rose. She shrugged at him instead, pleading with a look for him to understand.

"Breathe" Finn seemed to catch on easily. Rose taking deep breaths to calm her nerves as Sola smiled to herself and released her shoulder again "Yeah, look, I'm not a Resistance hero".

He was being humble while he spoke, hands resting on his hips "But um- It was nice talking to you Rose" he smiled, nodding, obviously trying to finish the conversation for whatever reason. 

Sola cocked her eyebrow at him suspiciously, he still hadn't answered her question.

"May the Force be with you" 

"Wow....you too"  
This was a little awkward to witness, Sola cringed inwardly as she waited, not wanting to interrupt Rose's moment of happiness which had distracted her from her previous grief and had taken her mind off of Paige. She deserved a second to smile like this.

"Okay, but you are a hero!" Rose was up and right beside Finn in and instant, marching up with clear adoration on her face while Sola remained by the steps to watch. Should she intervene?

"You left the First Order, what you did on the Starkiller base..." Rose rambled on, listing his accomplishments aloud like the ones Sola had racked up in her mind about Poe in the past. They really were the same in this regard.

Finn looked at the blond for help before turning his eyes back down to Rose as she went on.

"When we heard about it, my sister Paige said: Rose. That's a real hero, know right from wrong and don't run away when it gets hard, she said" The mention of Rose's sister made Sola's heart clench, a small smile on her lips. That did sound like something Paige would have said.

"You know" Unclasping what looked like some sort of electric stun gun from her belt, Sola held her breath, "Just this morning, I've had to stun three people trying to jump ship in this escape pod". So that was why Sola had found Rose crying down here on her own, the girl had taken it upon herself to catch out deserters. 

"What?!" Finn played innocent, nervous around the weapon in the smaller girls hand as she waved it around passionately with her words.

"They were running away" 

"That's disgraceful" Suddenly, with Finn's words, Sola realised what he had been doing here, her smile faltered. She wasn't angry at him for it, only sad he felt the need to abandon them like this. 

"I know..." Rose's own voice grew quieter as she tucked away the machine in her hand again and looked past Finn into the escape pod. 

Oh no.

Finn tried unsuccessfully to hide the bag inside by leaning his arm against the opening "Anyway...uh, gotta get back to what I was doing so-"

"What were you doing?" Rose cut him off, her own face falling in recognition.

"Finn..." Sola warned quietly, sadly, he only spared her a small glance in panic before looking down at Rose. 

"I- just um, doing some checks"

"Checking..." Rose stepped back looking around the space as she nodded to herself, clearly she knew what was up now "the escape pods".

"No it's a routine check" Finn was a terrible liar, and that was coming from someone who couldn't lie to save her life.

"By boarding one" Again Rose interrupted Finn's weak excuses, her face hard, angry almost. Sola took a few steps in their direction, cautious to scare the smaller woman.

"Rose" She warned softly, only to be ignored.

"With a packed bag" 

Yep, Rose definitely knew.

The taller man seemed to realise too, his face falling into seriousness as he stepped towards her "Okay, listen-" Before he could explain however, or continue to lie, they would never know which one he had decided on, Rose stunned him. The device sending him flying backwards into the escape pod, unconscious. That looked painful.

"Rose!" Sola gasped and run up to check on him, crouching down and holding up his head "That was a little unnecessary wasn't it?!" She looked back to the black haired woman who frowned down at them easily putting away her powerful little weapon. 

"He deserved it, he was going to abandon us" 

"Obviously, but I'm sure he had a good reason..." Sola watched him for another beat before sighing. At least she hoped he had, as much as being scared was a valid reason to panic. She wasn't sure running was the right move to make right now. 

"Paige- all the people that just died for us" Rose stopped herself, shaking her head and running off to retrieve a small maintenance cart from a little distance away, pulling it along with a little effort. "I don't care what his excuse was, I'm turning him in".

"You're not serious?" The smaller woman wasn't taking the objection, ignoring it while she dragged Finn's unconscious body onto the cart and began pulling him down the hallway. Sola rushed to follow her, trying to reason with the angry woman didn't seem to be working "Rose, he was probably just scared, with everything that's going on out there can you blame him?!"

"I can't move....I can't move, Sola I can't move" Finn spoke up after several minutes, eyes desperately searching until they landed on the blond woman walking beside him, regaining his consciousness as he lay there. Sola walked alongside quietly him giving him a pitying look.

"I know" Rose answered for them both harshly, struggling to pull along the table like cart. 

"What happened?!" Finn asked, barely able to lift his head in her direction. 

"I'm taking you to the bridge and turning you in for desertion" Rose turned around a bend, the metal handle firm in her grasped as she pulled. 

"I was not deserting!" Finn tired to defend himself "I told you that-"

Rose wasn't having any of it and marched her way up beside him on the opposite side Sola stood "My sister" She started firmly, the word made Sola gulp, "She just died".

"Rose he doesn't-" Sola tried, but failed to intervene yet again.

"Protecting the fleet...and you, were running away..." The words hurt to hear, even if she wasn't the one they were directed at, Sola put a hand on Finn's shoulder without thought. How was he supposed to have known.

"I'm sorry" He looked like he understood, "But this fleet is doomed, and if my friend comes back to it she's doomed to".

Rey, was he talking about Rey?

"I've gotta get the-" He struggled for a second, trying to will his numb body to move before finally slinging his arm and hand over his shoulder to show Rose the tracking beacon neither woman had noticed strapped to his wrist. "I've gotta get this beacon far away from here, then she'll find me and be safe".

"You're a selfish traitor" As much as Sola felt for what Finn was trying to do, Rose was right. He was only thinking about himself and Rey here, not about the Galaxy, not about the Resistance. He was giving up on something much larger than him, before even fighting for it to survive. She dropped her arm from his shoulder.

"We can't outrun the First Order fleet" even while Finn tried to defend himself Rose was making her way back around the front to continue pulling, this time Sola moved to help her. 

"We can jump to light-speed!" Rose protested loudly. 

Oh...but they couldn't could they. Not anymore, not now that-

"They can track us through light-speed!" Finn gave the answer Sola bit back, her gaze dropping to the floor. He was right, they could, which meant whatever the ship did now, seemed almost useless.

"They can track us through light-speed...?" Rose looked as stunned as the rest of them had when they discovered that fact earlier.

"Yeah, they-" Sola stopped listening to Finn explain, stepping back and letting her shoulders hit the metal wall to let out a sigh. Whatever they did now....it was useless. 

She let it sink in, let it consume her until she placed a hand over her forehead and gave a shuddering breath. What in stars name were they going to do now?! No fleet, no fighters, hardly any pilots, and their fuel was about to run out. 

"What did you shoot me with?!" Finn's loud voice snapped her out of her racing thoughts, unfocused eyes meeting his face as he watched Rose set down the handle that was used to pull the floating metal sheet along.

"Active tracking..." that look on her face, Sola recognised it. She had the same look when she was working on a particularly difficult droid and came across a solution after days or grinding work.

"What now?" Finn didn't seem to recognise it.

"Let her speak" Sola hushed him, taking a step forward as Rose walked around to Finn's side again while she spoke.

"Hyperspace tracking is new tech, but the principle must be the same as any active tracker" 

A beat passed, until all three of them in unison finished the idea that had spilled from Rose's clever little head,

"So they're only tracking us from the lead ship" All of their eyes were wide.

"But...we can't get to the tracker" Rose faltered, Sola following with a slight frown. She was right there.

"It's an A-class process, they'll control it from the main bridge" Rose seemed to be thinking hard for a solution as she spoke, Finn interrupting her with knowledge of his own, probably from his days as part of the First Order.

"Well I mean, yes, but every A-class process-" 

They finished that thought together while Sola chuckled to herself with a hand over her mouth,   
"...has a dedicated power breaker".

"But...Wait, but who knows where the breaker room is on a Star Destroyer?" Rosa was sliding herself down into the space beside Finn as she looked back at him after having given Sola small glance.

Finn huffed a laugh, still unable to move fully and just about able to shuffle his upper body closer to the black haired maintenance worker "I'm the guy that used to mop it. If I can get us there-"

"I can shut their tracker down" Just like that, the plan had been cast out like a fishing line in a pond, settling in the calm waters while Rose and Finn stared at each other. They had hope.

The droid mechanic also thought that Rose and Finn made a good team, but she didn't voice it on their way to find Poe. He apparently had had his own struggle at the Bridge, the General had been injured by a TIE fighter blast and was stable in a medical room, Vice Admiral Holdo having taken command in her stead, the pilot wasn't happy.

They gathered in the General's sleeping presence, explaining their plan until Poe interrupted them, confused "Just give it to me one more time, simpler".

Sola stood off to the side, leaving the task of the details to Rose and Finn who had come up with the plan in the first place. Instead, she stood to watch over General Organa, frowning as she crouched down and placed a hand over the woman's arm. She looked so...weak, like this. Helpless, almost. It didn't suit her, and the mechanic wished she could be stronger for her somehow.

"So, the First Order's only tracking us from the one Destroyer, the lead one" Finn began as he stood in front of Poe who was seated in a chair listening intently. 

"So we blow that one up?" 

Instantly Sola laughed to herself, trying to hide it even while Poe gave her an offended look. Because of course Poe's first instinct would be to blow stuff up, it warmed her heart to think she knew him well enough to recognise that by now. 

"I like where your head's at, but no" Finn corrected "They'd only start tracking us from another Destroyer" he explained, making Poe frown again.

"But if we can-" Rose tried to speak up from her position by the window, she'd watched silently until now as Finn had spoken. Waiting for a moment to interject or help. Finn cut her off.

"If we sneak on board the lead Destroyer and disable the tracker without them realising, then we can..." He wasn't being rude when he had interrupted her, just very focused and passionate as he explained, stepping closer to Poe in the process. 

"They won't realise it's off for one system cycle" The dark haired woman finished for him "About six minutes" She obviously knew more about the technical side of the plan than Finn did. Sola smiled proudly from behind her hand.

Poe gave another glance at Sola who was still crouched beside the General, giving her a small smile that made her heart skip a beat. She hadn't seen him smile at her for too long, it was a crime.

"Sneak on board" Finn began, a finger raised in emphasis while Rose pulled up a hologram of the Star Destroyer they were planning on sneaking onto, "Disable the tracker" a red section on the ship beeped to indicate the location of the tracker to them "Our fleet escapes before they realise" he finished finally.

"Hmm.." The pilot nodded to himself as he watched the hologram, thinking as he gave the unconscious General another glance before getting up and walking towards her bedside.

Sola raised to her feet, while he turned to gesture at Rose and Finn as he spoke "How'd you two meet?" A delicate subject, one she'd let them both handle.

"Just luck" Rose smiled to herself, Finn seemed relieved by her answer. Not quite a lie, but not the whole truth either. Not that it mattered right now.

"Yeah?" Poe stopped to stand beside the blond mechanic, eying the General while he bit his bottom lip "Good luck?".

"Not sure yet".

Poe had that crease between his brow again that made Sola want to run her thumb over it to smooth it away. She held herself from the action, opting instead to take his left hand within her own. He was worried about Leia, she could tell. The two had always been close from what she had gathered and seen, she knew he had grown up with the General involved in his life for a long while. Leia was like family to him, like a mother he'd lost.

"Poe, we gotta do this" Finn insisted after a moment of silence, finally speaking up again after the sensitive subject of his meeting with Rose had passed. "It'll save the fleet and it'll save Rey" Two birds with one stone as they say.

Poe's hand fell from Sola's grasp as he reached out to place it over Leia's softly. Sola didn't stop him, she knew he must be feeling as desperate, worried, and emotional as the rest of them right now.

"If I must be the sole voice of reason, Admiral Holdo will never agree to this plan" C-3PO, the gold plated droid Sola had replaced the arm off in the past spoke for the first time. It's robotic voice interrupting Finn.

"Yeah, you're right, Threepio" Poe agreed, causing Sola to hesitate but wait to interject. Since when was Poe Dameron not down for a reckless half assed plan?

"It's a "need-to-know" plan, and she doesn't".

Because of course he would agree, Sola kicked herself for having doubted him for the briefest of seconds. Poe turned away, glancing at 3-PO as the droid tried to interject yet again.

'That wasn't exactly my-" Everyone else ignored him as Sola stepped up to his side and tapped him on the arm.

"It's alright Threepio, you tried" Sympathetically she gave the stuttering good droid a half smile.

"All right, you guys shut down that tracker. I'll be here to jump us to lightspeed" Poe marched back up to the table that held the display of the Star Destroyer, looking up at them all determination blazing in his hard eyes.

"Sola?" 

That was the first time she had been addressed directly in the room and she looked up from 3-PO's face in surprise. Poe was waiting for her attention before he continued "Are you going or are you staying?" As much as he wanted her to stay here, out of harms way after everything she'd just been through. Ultimately, the decision would be her's.

"I..." She glanced at Rose who was giving her a hopeful look that told her she obviously wanted her to go along with them both. Somehow rejecting that look broke her heart a little and she shook her head and cleared her throat "I'll stay, less risk. I'll be pretty much useless on that ship".

"Alright" Poe seemed satisfied with her answer as he took to flicking switches on the table "The question is, how do we sneak the two of you onto Snoke's Destroyer?".

Sola walked up to join them on the round display table, standing beside Finn as Rose spoke again "We steal clearance codes" Easier said than done. 

"No, they're bio-hexacrypt and descrambled every hour" The dark skinned man explained from beside Sola making Poe and Rose look up at him from across the table.

"We can't get though their security shields undetected. Nobody can" And they certainly didn't have the means of a diversion like they previously had when Poe had made it's way onto the Dreadnought to rescue the blond mechanic. What other options were there?

Poe's eyes lit up, a hand and finger raising towards Finn "Nobody here can" He corrected before he began typing and clicking away at a console at the corner of the room.

"Are you sure you wanna stay?" Rose appeared at Sola's side as Finn went off with Poe to listen to the pilot mumble to himself about the connections he had, specifically with Maz.

"We could use you as back up" The thought of someone wanting her there to help on such a dangerous mission made Sola smile, shaking her head nonetheless and turning to the smaller woman at her side.

"I'm sure, as much as I'd love to, I would only slow you down. With my injuries and my lack of knowledge..." She looked back to stare at Poe's back for a moment, Rose following her line of sight with a small sigh.

"Look after him then, make sure he doesn't get into trouble. We need the ship to jump into lightspeed as soon as the tracker is deactivated".

As if she could ever hope to control the flyboy that was Poe Dameron. Sola let out a short giggle "I'll certainly try. Look after yourselves too, I don't think I can handle losing anyone else today" Face falling, Sola turned to stare at the sleeping General again, the machines around her beeping away gently. Silently praying that she too, would be okay.

"You won't" That sounded like a promise.

"Could I do it?" Maz's voice filled the small room after the three of them had finished explaining their plan to her across the hologram which had appeared of the smaller alien woman at the corner of the room where Poe and Finn had wandered to. "Of course I could do it. But I can't do it. I'm a little tied down right now" evidently she was caught up in some sort of dispute from what could be made out of her blurry surroundings.

They were all around the console now, Sola standing further back between 3-PO and BB-8 at her feet, jumping back when blaster fire rung out loudly.

"Maz? What's is happening?" Finn questioned.

"Union dispute. You do not want to hear about it" The woman grunted out, another blaster shot just barely missing her face.

"But, lucky for you, there's exactly one guy I trust who can crack that kind of security!" Well at least that was a relief to hear, even while Sola remained doubtful. 

More blaster fire was heard as Maz dodged and moved around in front of them, "He's a master codebreaker, an ace pilot" Sola silently doubted he was even half as good as Dameron, "a poet with a blaster". Maz went on, ducking away from another hit with a loud grunt. The poor woman couldn't catch a break.

"Oh, my. It sounds like this codebreaker fellow can do everything" C-3PO exclaimed beside her. As much as this guy sounded like the whole package, the idea of entrusting something this important to a complete stranger none of them had ever met was making Sola feel uneasy, enough to cross her arms across her chest and shuffle on her heels. 

Poe turned to glance at the golden droid, and at her for a second, Sola only shrugged in response. 

"Oh, yes, he can". Maz sounded...smug? Proud, perhaps, at the droids words, making Finn and Rose look at each other and frown suspiciously.

"You'll find him with a red plom bloom on his lapel, rolling at a high stakes table" A red flower like symbol appeared on the screen, each of them taking it in carefully before it vanished again "in the casino on Canto Bight".

"Canto Bight? No, no. That's...Maz" Poe didn't seem to like that answer, hand on his hip he looked to Finn who looked just as worried as he did. 

Canto Bight...Sola had heard of the planet before. Vaguely she remembered Rose and Paige having mentioned it, and not in an overly fond way. 

"Is there any way that we can take care of this ourselves?" 

"Sorry, kiddo. This is rarefied cracking" Maz didn't give the frowning pilot another option, "You wanna get on that Destroyer, I only know one option. Find the Master Codebreaker" Just like that she had clicked a button on her wrist, rose into the sky, and the link went dead.

Huffing and sighing to himself with doubt, hands on his hips, Poe seemed the most unnerved out of all of them. Sola really wanted to hug him right now, she feared the rest of them might look at her weird if she did though. 

Still however, he accepted the beacon Finn offered him wordlessly after a moment of silence. The former Stormtrooper was now putting Rey's life into the pilots hand. They had to do this, no matter how risky. 

That didn't stop him from embracing her the moment Rose and Finn left with the help of Connix in the command centre however, pulling her into his strong arms with a sigh, "How are you feeling?" He had no idea what that question did to her sanity at that moment.

Hugging him back just as tightly, her head burying itself against his shoulder. Sola let herself breathe him in again, absorb his warmth until she felt a little more composed to reply "I'm...okay, I think" Was she really? Sola doubted the implications behind her own answer.

"Lizzy did a good job" Poe spoke again after a moment of peace between the two, angling her head back gently as he looked over the patches on her face. She looked much better bandaged up and with some colour back on her face, though he still frowned at the thought of what lay behind those patches of covered skin.

"Y-Yeah..." She suddenly felt the urge to pathetically cry again. She felt like she had been doing nothing but crying since she'd been caught back on Dantooine. How the hell she even had enough liquid in her body to produce tears? Only force knows. 

"What about you, those pilots, and your ship..." Surely Poe too felt the strain of loss on his shoulders. After all the fighters they had lost, all of his friends, his squadrons. Sola felt like he, most of all, had the right to tears at the moment. He remained silent instead.

"We can mourn them once we're out of this mess" He heaved a heavy sigh as he watched her face. How the hell she wasn't a broken heap on the floor right about now baffled him. Sola was stronger than she knew.

"Can I..." Sola swallowed, unsure if she should ask, but it seemed like the best opportunity she would have in a while "Can I ask you something, after all of this is over?" 

Raising his eyebrow at her, he gave a short nod "Ask me about what?"

"Us..." Poe clenched his jaw, running a tongue over his lips with a small hum of understanding.

"Promise you can ask me everything and anything if make it out of this alive"

"When" The smaller mechanic corrected, letting her forehead rest against his chest again, listening to his heartbeat. He was wearing his normal clothes again, and a new jacket she hadn't seen him in before adorned with the Resistance symbol at it's sleeve.   
It suited him, he looked good in it.

"When" Poe agreed with a small breath that could almost be mistaken as a chuckle. 

Since when had Sola become the optimistic one?


	20. Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia kicks some ass and Sola is blessed enough to be there.

Sleep, she needed sleep. Even if they survived, and everything worked out. And even if they didn't, Sola would most likely collapse of exhaustion before any of it came into fruition.

As much as she protested, long enough for Poe to practically have to carry her, Sola eventually surrendered to the comforting hold in his broad arms, he was stronger than he looked. She would've apologised for her weight in his arms if she had enough energy and wasn't so distracted by the act itself . Carrying her bridal style as she relaxed against his chest, the mechanics eyes were already drifting shut by the time he walked into the quarters where the General was recovering. Sola had refused to sleep anywhere else. 

Sleep however, didn't come easily.

"Will you stay until I fall asleep?" He was planning on leaving her to rest in peace after having ensured she'd drank some water and ate a ration bar they'd located on their way over, but the hold on his hand stopped the pilot and dragged him back to her side on the floor in the corner of the room. They'd managed to make a little bed out of a couple of old blankets and with Poe's washed down jacket as a makeshift blanket. The one she'd worn on Dantooine that was previously covered in-...that didn't matter now.

Resting her head on his lap as Poe sat down to lean against the wall, Sola let her eyes drift shut again. The feeling of isolation, even with Leia sleeping silently in the room, wasn't one she imagined she could bare right now. Every time her eyes shut, a pair of pale wide blue ones would stare back at her. Hollow. Until she opened them again to look up at Poe. Of course he could see the struggle in her gaze, the way a pained frown pinched her eyebrows, and how her fists were tight in the blankets below her frame. Undoing her hair gently, he smoothed it out behind her head, over his upper thigh to run his large hand through it, a move to comfort her that seemed to work when she closed her eyes once more after several minutes. 

"I'll stay" His mumble was quiet, almost drowned out by the noises of the ship and medical equipment in the room, but Sola caught it easily, holding onto it with a grip of steel. 

"I'm sorry I..." Poe started, biting his lip to try and keep the frustration from his voice "I'm sorry I didn't come for you sooner" It haunted him still, the way he'd found her strapped to that chair. There wasn't an inch of her face that didn't carry a bruise or at least a splatter of blood. As strong as she had endured, he could see the way the pain had broken her spirit momentarily, and it wasn't something he had intended to let happen.

With eyes still shut, Sola raised one hand up to his face, running her fingertips gently up under his stubble covered jawline hoping to make him aware that she was still listening, and wasn't angry with him "It's not your fault".

"I should've checked that room better, I should've-" He was about to list every single mistake, every reckless negligence he'd made to her, only for Sola to gently shake her head and open her eyes again to stare up at him.

"No...No, you did your best Poe" She didn't want him to go down that unforgiving, drowning, road. It would only end him up somewhere they could not disappear to right now. "I should've scanned the Droid before I ran over to it like I did" Sola corrected softly, his free hand caught her own before she could drop it from his face again, pressing a kiss to her knuckles that made her cheeks tint a pink hue from under the bacta-patches.

"I guess we both made mistakes then..." With that she would agree. They were human after all, and as much as the results of their actions were taring them apart, they needed to stick to being here, in the present.

"Thank you" Sola choked on the idea that if Poe hadn't taken the chance to rescue her, she would be dead by now, or worse. "Thank you for coming for me...".

The pilot chuckled lightly, making her head move with the force that rocked his body until he settled again, dropping her hand to her side and covering it with his own left hand, "I told you, you could trust me" He smiled down at her so genuinely it made her need to look away to take a breath again. She didn't deserve this.

He faltered for another second that let the guilt shine in his eyes "I'm sorry I let them-" She couldn't bare to see it.

"You didn't let them do anything, Poe. And I don't blame you for it, you did your best" Unable to stop herself from doing it, though she probably shouldn't touch them at all, Sola ran a finger over the medical patches on her face, tracing them as if she were remembering the marks that lay beneath, "Besides, I think I'll look pretty dangerous if these end up scarring" she smiled.

"I doubt anyone would ever mess with you again" Poe chuckled, though the thought of her beautiful face in anyway hurt or scarred made the grin falter again moments after. He spotted the bruises on her wrists, from the restraints. Poe remembered them on his own wrists, though not quite as severe.

"Sola-"

"It's okay, Poe, I'm okay" Watching him as he took her hand from her face to inspect her wrist, she so badly wanted to smooth his face of all its worried creases and lines. Cover it in kisses until he was grinning again, he didn't need to blame himself, not for this. She thought that idea preposterous, kissing him again should be the last thing on her mind...right?

"What was she like" A change of subject was in order, Poe taking it upon himself to take up the mantle as he gave her wrists a gentle peck, as if to ease the pain from them, before laying her arm down gently, "Your sister, Grace?" He clarified after Sola still hadn't answered. Instead her eyes had drifted shut again.

"Before the First Order" She wouldn't cry, not this time, Grace deserved to be remembered for the best parts of herself, "Gracie was-" she swallowed, letting herself enjoy the feeling of Poe's hands in her hair to calm her beating heart "Light, determined, stubborn, she was the one who wanted to leave Tatooine the most out of the both of us" The memory of Grace shouting up into the sky made the mechanic smile to herself. 

"I think she was the only thing keeping me alive on that planet, sane. I was practically her second Mother" As sad as that thought was, that they had grown up without their actual mother for most of their life, Sola hadn't minded taking up the responsibility. It wasn't like she had much of a choice anyway. 

"What about your Father?" Poe interjected carefully, unsure if he should tread into that territory. From what he had caught of their conversation earlier, he didn't sound like someone pleasant.

"He..." How to summarise her Fathers pitiful life carefully enough without a string of obscenities. "He used to be a good Father, before my mother died. A good mechanic, taught me everything" She'd told that part to Poe before "He changed when she died, became withdrawn, wouldn't talk to us. He spent most of his time in a cantina or in an alleyway. Wasted his credits on the Pod races and-" 

Sola didn't want pity because of this part, though she doubted she could control whatever expression Poe currently had on his face even if she told him that.

"He got angry a lot, would take it out on us. I tried to put myself in between him and Grace as much as I could but..." Resting his palm on her forehead Poe waited patiently for her to continue, he could see this was difficult to voice into words.

"Sometimes I wasn't strong enough. We were kids. And he blamed us for every problem in his life, for mothers sickness, for his gambling and alcohol problems, for everything".

Angry, Poe was angry for her more than anything right now, though he restrained himself from showing it beyond the way his body had stiffened from her words. Breathing out through his mouth, he shook his head "You didn't deserve that, no one does". 

"You get used to it, after a while" Sola confessed with a small shrug, as odd as a thing that was to say. It was true. As long as she didn't think back on how much it had hurt some days, her life on Tatooine also had it's moments of happiness. Usually involving Grace- always involving Grace.

"Grace used to smile at the smallest things, when I fixed a droid and it finally powered on again. When I made us our favourite stew. One time she laughed so loudly everyone was staring at us just because I tripped over a wire in my hands" Sola held back a laugh of her own, opening her eyes to stare at Poe who was smiling down at her again. 

Stars she'd missed seeing his face.

"What about that nickname, Lala...?" He teased rubbing his thumb down the blond's sensitive nose carefully until she swatted his hand away. 

"When Gracie was a baby she couldn't pronounce my name, so she called me Lala instead. It just sort of...stuck" An eye-roll accompanied her explanation, knowing why the cocky pilot had brought it up and dreading his next statement.

"Maybe I should call you that from now on?"

"Don't you dare!"   
Everyone would laugh at her! And besides, only Gracie had the rights to that name.

Poe only laughed at her annoyed expression, shaking his head and quieting her down with a soft hush.

"Alright alright I won't, get some sleep now you need it, you can barely keep your eyes open" He was right.

Just like that, Sola settled. Eyes shut drifting into unconsciousness at touch of Poe's fingertips soothing her hair and forehead until every ugly thought, and any ounce of pain abandoned her body.

"Dear" It wasn't Poe's voice that greeted her when she woke up, as much as she had hoped it would be. Instead the old, wise, worried eyes of General Organa filled her as the mechanic's eyes snapped open in panic. Had she just a awoken from a nightmare? It felt like it, her hands were shaking and she was sporting a cold sweat that stuck the material of the tank top beneath her uniform to her skin uncomfortably. 

"Are you alright dear?" Leia spoke up again watching carefully as Sola was still regaining her senses, witnessing the young woman struggle in her sleep hadn't been pretty, waking her being the least she could do for her as the other officers stood at the side of the room waiting anxiously. They'd come to the General for help, apparently Poe was up to his usual mischief again.   
This time: mutiny against Vice Admiral Holdow. Fantastic.

"Y-Yes...thank you, Ma'am" 

"General Organa, or Leia is just fine" The older woman smiled, helping Sola to her feet before she nodded to the crew by the door "It looks like Captain Dameron is causing us trouble again, Miss Naberrie". 

Why did that somehow fill the mechanic with dread. What had Poe Dameron done now, while she was sleep no less. Rose had told her to keep an eye on him, and she hadn't even been able to do that.

"Of course he is".

"I advise you wait by the escape shuttles Sola" They were on their way to the flight deck, apparently Captain Dameron had taken it upon himself, with the help of several of his pilots and Lieutenant Connix, to take command of the ship by force. When Admiral Holdo had decided to load up the transports and abandon ship. They were running out of time, and fuel. Whatever Poe had been thinking, Sola hoped he knew what he was doing.

"With all due respect, General" Sola sounded like Poe just then, the thought made her smile inwardly "I'd rather be present for this" Leia gave her a knowing look and objected no further. 

The door to the bridge was sealed when they approached it, several officers joining them on the way, not that that seemed like a bother to General Organa, the woman seemed unfazed by the hinderance. Simply waving her hand over it before it burst open in front of them. Was that...did she just use the Force?!

Either that or whoever had been trying to wield the door open had hit an integral wire of some kind. Genera Organa stepped in ahead of them of course, clad in white one hand holding a walking cane to support her and the other a blaster. She looked formidable.

"Leia"

Blaster in the older woman's hand raised, Leia fired off a stunning shut that hit a wide eyed Poe square in the chest and made the other two beings in the room hold up their hands in surrender. Connix and 3-PO didn't even attempt to fight back, not against Leia's fury. 

"Poe!" Worried as she watched him fly back with the impact on his body, landing with a crash that made Sola wince behind the General, the blond rushed forward to his side to make sure he was okay. No damage, at least from what she could assess cradling his head in her hands, but he'd definitely feel it when he woke up later.

What about Finn and Rose?!

If they abandoned the ship, they would be left behind. Then again maybe that would be a good thing. 

If however, they went into those escape shuttles they were out in the open. Exposed to the First Order Destroyers without any means to defend themselves. Panic formed in Sola's mind as she helped someone lift Poe's unconscious body onto a hovering stretcher. His spare jacket she'd been using quickly tucked under his head before they moved him away from her.

"General what about-" Leia already seemed to know, Lieutenant Connix dressed impeccably with two neat buns at the top of her head had been explaining to the General when Sola walked up to them. Apparently Rose and Finn had failed, they didn't make it.

"I know, but right now we need to get onto those escape shuttles" The older woman turned to face the mechanic, a small hand on her arm to try and ease the tension in her body. Were Finn and Rose alive, what about BB-8? Did they make it onto the ship or did they get caught out before that part of the plan?! Sola gulped, watching the General as she lead her down together with Connix onto the transports. There was nothing else to be done now.

Sola boarded the shuttle alone, making sure to get onto the same one Poe occupied. The General remained outside for a few minutes more, speaking to Admiral Holdo who...stayed? "M- General?" As she walked up to sit down beside her, Sola raised her eyebrows in question.

"Someone has to stay to pilot the cruiser" Leia simply stated as their ship lifted off into the air and out into open space, she sounded sad. It meant another sacrifice, another loss. "He looks a lot less troublesome like that, doesn't he" She was looking at Poe as she spoke, and Sola couldn't help but smile and nod at the older woman's words. He certainly couldn't get himself into trouble when he was out cold like that.

"He does..." The mechanic wasn't sure what had tipped the General off about her affections for the pilot. If it was the soft smile on her face as she walked up to take his hand into her own, or the way her words trailed off with unspoken connotations. Maybe it was everything else that had happened before this, their mission together, their moments alone, or the time they'd kissed out in the open in his ship. His ship which was now gone along with so much more of the Resistance than ever before.

Somehow, Leia knew. "You care about him" Spoken simply while Leia watched the two as she sat by the window. It didn't sound like an accusation, nor did her words hold any malice or judgement. Wasn't she upset, mad, worried about the growing feelings between her Com- Captain, and this mechanic who had done nothing so far but get herself into trouble. 

Why did that thought end like something someone could say about Poe too, he tended to throw himself into trouble without a care in the Galaxy. Trouble was like his middle name. Poe trouble Dameron. Sola held back a laugh.

Sola turned her head to stare at the General, unsure of what to say. Should she lie? She doubted Leia would believe her now, Sola had never been a good liar and Leia seemed far to smart. "Care is...one way to describe it" Somehow the word didn't seem big enough to encompass the whole of what she felt towards Dameron, even if she could not comprehend it fully herself.

"He cares about you too, I can tell" Leia continued with a faint smile.

"I don't think-" Sola was about to argue, deny it, tell her Poe cared about many people, everyone in the Resistance mattered to him. They were all important. There was no way Poe cared about the little mechanic to the extent Sola had come to care about him. 

But Poe didn't go around kissing everyone, nor did he sit by them while they fell asleep, or risk his life saving them from a kriffing Dreadnought.

Leia wasn't up for a discussion and cut her off "You should've seen the commotion he caused when he got back from Dantooine" the General chuckled rolling her eyes at the memory that made Sola turn towards the smaller woman in confusion.

"Demanded a rescue mission, he riled every single one of his pilots into action when I told him it was a stupid, reckless idea" 

He did that...for her?!

Sola's hand which still held onto Poe's tightened at that idea. How she wished he was awake right now so that she could thank him a thousand times over for even contemplating such a rescue mission.

"If the First Order hadn't arrived when they did, I think he would've-" Leia stopped there, seeing the way Sola was in her head. Staring down at the floor, she looked conflicted.

"I think it's good to have something to hold onto, especially in times like this" The General was attempting to give her permission to feel this connection, to care about somebody. It was much like she had come to love Han, even with all his idiotic, cocky, reckless behaviour. Poe was a lot like Han, both the pilot and the mechanic deserved a chance at something like this, they all did.

"Don't run from it Sola" 

Was this what it felt like to get advice from your mother? Sola had never gotten the chance to get advice about her romantic life, she'd been too young when her mother passed. But the thought that this was even just slightly a hint of what she could of had, it made her tear up and turn away from Leia for a moment before she turned back around and marched to sit beside her. 

Was Sola Naberrie in love with Poe Dameron? She couldn't tell.

"What are you afraid of?" 

Was she...afraid? Yes, Sola had always been afraid in her life. But this, this was something completely new, somehow she never really expected to have to face it. What if Poe changed his mind, grew bored of her, or annoyed, or began to hate the things that were out of her control. The possibilities were endless, daunting.

"General I don't think...I don't think I'm good enough for-"

"Trust me. Let Poe decide that for himself, I doubt you could stop him even if you wanted to" With that Leia Organa was right once again. 

The ship had metaphorically sailed, and there was no stopping it now.


	21. Saving What We Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out Sola might be a better pilot than she'd imagined.

With a start, Poe awoke from his forced, deserved, slumber. "No, no, no!" Jumping up and running to pound his hand against the glass window where Sola sat watching the Raddus cruiser. He'd unintentionally interrupted the two woman who were staring at each other in silent agreement across the ship, the mechanic leaning back a beat in surprise as he let out a loud sigh, his head dropping in defeat of what was happening as the cruiser was still being piloted away in the growing distance.

"Poe" Leia caught his attention from behind them on the opposite window, her head nodding gently for him to join her side. Sparing a glance at Sola, he walked over slowly, cautiously almost. The older woman had just stunned him only previously.

"What is that?" Poe sounded stunned, raising Sola's own curiosity enough to join them, she spotted the planet up in the distance. They were heading towards a planet! 

D'acy, another woman from the bridge with blond curly hair spoke up behind them to explain, "The mineral planet, Crait. An uncharted hideout from the days of the Rebellion". The blond mechanic hadn't met her before, but she seemed to know what she was talking about.

"That's a Rebel base?" The pilot turned his head to look at her, hope was alight behind his eyes again.

"Abandoned, but heavily armoured" D'acy nodded at him "with enough power to get a distress signal to our allies scattered in the Outer Rim".

"That's our chance" The mumble was heard by none but Sola who uttered it under her breath astounded. They had a plan, and a damn good one. Of course they did, Sola let out a sigh of relief as she continued to watch the distant planet from beside Poe and Leia.

"Holdo knew the First Order was tracking our big ship" Leia continued to explain the Admiral's initial intentions to Poe "They're not monitoring for little transports".

Realisation was dawning on the curly man's face as he slid into the space beside Leia, "So we could slip down to the surface unnoticed and hide till the First Order passes" he was nodding at the blond officer, then at Sola, and finally back at General Organa seated in front of him. This was a good plan in his opinion too. "That could work".

Leia was smiling back at him with a nod of her own, "she was more interested in protecting the light than she was..." the older woman reached for Poe's arm, gently prying the tracking beacon Finn had trusted to him earlier from his wrist "seeming like a hero" She finished, because of course Holdo was not Poe, he was the one who came up with the reckless plans that made heroes, not the ones that were a little more...under the radar.

Sola hesitated but ultimately placed hand on Poe's shoulder as she stood by his side, the realisation of relief on his face had faded to regret of his own actions. As noble as his intentions had been, all he'd caused was more trouble for the Admiral and General. 

Placing a hand over her own, he turned to peer out the window towards the cruiser on the opposite side of the ship again, his thoughts on his actions, on the Admiral most likely. "You didn't know Poe" Was all the blond said, the General agreed reluctantly with a small nod as her fingers traced the tracking beacon in her hands thoughtfully. 

Explosions. 

One after another, transports were being blasted from the space around them. The First Order had found them, somehow. Everyone's eyes shot up in alarm, helplessly watching out of the glass windows as the derbies of ships scattered out around them. 

Another, and Poe ran into the cockpit to yell "Come on, give it full thrusters. Full speed!" 

"I am sir!" The pilot urged back.

Poe had Sola against his side as soon as he rushed back to their side again, holding her arms against his body as the ship rocked and swerved violently to avoid another blast of long rage fire. "How did they..." She muttered only softly what they were all thinking, clutching her hands into the white of his shirt and taking a deep breath to hold in her lungs.

They were too far out, they needed to keep going. There was no going back now, and they had no way to defend themselves. The little transports didn't even have anything in the way of shields. Each Resistance ship was like a sitting duck.

Mounting dread filled every fibre of the mechanics quivering body.

Another, and then another turned into stardust around them. Each one making Sola's heart skip faster until she was hanging onto Poe for dear life. Were they really going to die like this?!

"Don't look" Trying to comfort her, Poe put a hand on the back of the mechanics head and pressed her face into his warm chest. As much as it helped not seeing the heartbreaking explosions, the loss of life, Sola still heard every earth shattering second of it, each one making her flinch.

At least she would die in Poe Dameron's arms. Now that was a thought she never imagined she'd have.

Lizzy, was Lizzy alive?! She hadn't even thought to check if her medic friend had entered one of the transports. Though knowing her, Liz would definitely be on board one of them helping anyone injuries or panicking. Was she dead yet, her body parts floating lifeless in the emptiness of space. Would she ever see her best friend again? Lizzy's warm eyes, smooth dark skin, her bouncy dark hair and one of the brightest most radiant smiles in the Galaxy? Sola wanted to sob thinking that the possibility excised. That the answer might be 'no'.

"She's running away" Kaydel Connix stood beside Poe and Sola, watching out of the window as Leia left their side. She was talking about Holdo.

"No, she isn't" Dameron corrected, frowning as he stared intently at the cruiser which seemed to me shifting its position. It was...turning around? Sola moved her face away from his chest, turning it to stare at the large Resistance cruiser. 

Admiral Holdo was getting the Raddus into position to collide with the First Order Destroyer!

It's engined were roaring until-

Light. 

A lightspeed collision being the cause as the large Cruiser struck through the First Order ships, splitting them in two like a hot knife through butter. Vice Admiral Holdo sacrificed herself for them all while the Rebels watched helplessly. 

Crait. The planet which they landed on was chilly and white, blinding almost as they hurried out of the transports and inside the massive shield doors that stood open as if it were welcoming them home. It certainly looked like an old Rebel base, a lot of the details resembling things she'd seen inside the old D'Qar base. Red was the only other colour, appearing under her boots as Sola walked, like bloody footprints. The colour made her look away quickly, following the others inside as Leia called to them to shut the doors.

"Go, go, move!" Poe was shouting from up ahead as the rest of the Resistance ran inside, First Order ships were landing outside in mass, TIE fighters being the first among them to race towards the opening of the base. 

"Get that shield door down!" Crouching to the spot beside Poe who had acquired a blaster and passed her another, she nodded to him holding tight onto the spare jacket before slipping it on over her shoulder, she'd almost left it lying on the transport, before leaning over the defensive structure made from crates and random pieces of old machinery they were hiding behind to aim her weapon at the approaching ships. 

Just as the shield doors lowered, a single ship managed to crash land its way through, shattering it's wings and dragging up dirt in its wake around them all as they ran for cover to avoid it. 

Shouting and screaming was drowned out by the array of blaster fire as they began shooting, sparks lighting up the dull compound like fireworks in the night sky. 

Poe and Leia were the first two step out from behind their defences, even as Sola tried unsuccessfully to grab a hold of the pilots arm and keep him safe with her. He was determined and grim faced as he stormed forwards, his fire never letting up.

"No! Wait, don't shoot! It's us!" Rose's voice accompanied along side Finn's filled her ears, they were inside the ship, they were alive! "No! Don't shoot!".

Sola bounced up and rushed towards the ship without thought as Poe raised his arm into the air "Hold your fire!" He repeated twice until everyone had stopped, the mechanic standing wide eyed in front of the ship.

"Finn?" Leia questioned as the tops of Finn and Rose's heads appeared out of the top of the broken up ship.

"Finn!" Poe confirmed with relief in his voice, his own weapon finally lowering "Rose! You're not dead!" 

Way to state the obvious there Poe.

"Where's my droid?" He added, because of course he would.

"BB-8, where's BB?!" Sola felt the need to express her own concern, looking around frantically for her favourite droid only for a lower door to slide open to reveal the spherical astromech as it rolled out to greet them.

"BB!" She was on her knees to greet him as he rolled into her wide open arms, embracing him with a laugh as he bumped his head against her stomach chirping happily.

"Buddy!" Poe dropped down onto his knees at her side, his hands rubbing the droid like he was an excited dog with the largest grin she'd ever witnessed on his face "I'm so glad to see you!" BB-8 was rambling happily in binary at them both, explaining what had happened so fast Sola had to strain to catch up and understand. 

"Wait, what? Wait, wait, wait, slow down" It seemed even Poe was struggling to comprehend the string of words.

"Again, slower, B" Sola clarified softly, BB-8 giving her a quick glance with the large lens on it's head before repeating himself again, slower. 

As soon as Rose and Finn were out of the ship and back on solid ground, Sola enveloped them both into a tight hug. Rose returned the gesture, Finn hesitating for a second. Understandably, he hadn't really gotten the chance to get to know Sola quite as well, yet the mechanic felt the need to thank them both silently with the gesture. They had just risked their lives for them all and barely made it back alive. 

"I'm so glad you're okay" Looking at them in turn, Sola released them and stepped back. 

"You too" Rose replied, taking her friends hand and holding it tightly in reassurance. 

"Let's take inventory on what we have here, the First Order won't wait on us to prepare" Poe spoke up as he stood beside Leia. Gesturing for several people to head out to look before he approached them "Rose, Sola, take some pilots and see if we have any weaponry we can use, they might even have some sort of fighter craft here", the smaller maintenance worker gave a nod alongside her blond friend before the two gathered up a small group and rushed off to search for anything useful.

They didn't end up finding much down the dark dusty tunnels and dim caves, but they did find a decent sized hanger up top that housed skim speeders. Most of them seemed to be functioning too, Sola could only spot one which looked to be worse for wear "Go let Poe and the General know what we found, I'll fix her up as fast as I can" For once in her life, Sola felt like she could do something for them. She'd worked on hundreds of speeders, not of this model no, but the principal and basics seemed to be the same. 

"You sure?" Rose looked over the back of the skim speeder while Sola pulled out some tools from her belt and began working on one of the dilapidated wings. 

"Go, I won't be long" That was all the confirmation the black haired woman needed before she called for the rest of he pilots and hurried back into the main building by the shield doors. 

They needed those speeders if they were planning to mount an attack to buy them time. They could call for allies all they wished, but for them to arrive, the Resistance needed to be here and alive to receive them.

Luckily only the stabilisers on the speeder were the most damaged, easily fixed with a little tinkering, some oil, and a couple of new screws she happened to find lying around in an old crate in the far side of the room.   
"Can you fly it?" Jumping, Sola turned with a gasp. It was only Poe standing behind her who had spoken to catch her off guard.

"Kriff, Poe, you scared me" the mechanic ran a hand through her hair and heaved a sigh to calm her heart "I...I think so, show me the controls and I think I can do it, why?" 

"We need every speeder out there, they have a weapon that'll crack those shield doors open. We need to buy more time" He explained as he looked over the small band of speeders at their disposal. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

"These are older models but they handle under the same principle" The rest of the pilots began pouring in and into the skim speeders one by one, Rose and Finn making up the rear. "Keep close to me, and don't do anything stupid. We just need to get to that cannon" That sounded like something someone should be saying to him, and not to Sola. 

She nodded regardless and threw herself into one of the piloting seats after tying up her hair again into two low buns so that her head would fit inside the headset, Poe hovered beside her pointing out the toggles and buttons one by one. "Got it?"

Nervous, scared, dreading what awaited them beyond those doors, Sola gave a stiff nod. She didn't want to look up into his eyes now they were ready to go out there, she knew he'd catch the fear in her eyes, that he might even tell her to stay back because of it because it could get her killed. But they needed her, needed each one of them out there, this wasn't something the mechanic could hide from. Not this time.

"Poe?" Holding onto his sleeve which he was still hanging into the cockpit, having previously used that arm to point out the levers, Poe's eyes turned to her at the mention of his name. 

"Yeah?"

Taking a deep breath, she lifted her gaze up at him. Determination overriding everything else pumping through her veins "Don't die". The urge was there to say so much more to him right then and there, to admit something she had never admitted to anybody else and hold him, but there was no time, this would need to do.

He could only snort at that and shake his head, taking her hand into his own and giving it a squeeze "You too. Wasn't planning on it Sweetheart" they held their stare for another second after she dared let up, grin lopsided. Each one silently speaking a hundred more words they didn't have time to say aloud before Poe let her go and sped off towards his own skimmer.

"Everybody ready your engines, and deploy your mono-ski as soon as you hit the ground, these rust-buckets won't fly long without 'em" He sounded like a real Leader when he handed out commands like that to them all, each engine buzzing to life one after another as Sola strapped herself in and followed suit. This was it.

"Ground forces incoming" The com's on their helmets blared out into their ears.

"Copy that, we're on our way!" Came Poe's reply back.

And like that, they flew forward one by one, out of the small doors which only opened one way. Out.

Poe was right when he said the ships were rusty, they rattled and shook as they lowered down onto the salty terrain below. Sola barely managed to keep hers flying in a straight line as she lowered the speeder.

"Hey, engage your mono-ski. The green toggle" Rose was advising Finn who also seemed to be struggling, but it helped to remind the mechanic as well who quickly flipped the green toggle on her right. Instantly the speeder swerved before finally evening out as it rushed forward. A red trail of debris followed each of the skim speeders like a dust cloud. If they weren't all about to throw themselves into a battle that might claim their lives, Sola might've expressed how pretty it looked. 

"Alright listen up" Poe's voice was in her ear, in all of their ears as he took up the left side of the line of speeders "I don't like those rust buckets and I don't like our odds, but..." he seemed to struggle with something in his ship that made the blond look over from her own speeder with a raised eyebrow "What the hell?" a part of his speeder came loose under his foot and she almost snorted at how his leg came out through the gap momentarily. 

"Just keep it tight and don't get drawn in too close till they roll that cannon out front" The cannon was their target in this fight, they needed to reach it before it blasted open their shield door. The rest of the First Order fleet was simply a hinderance. 

Breathing heavily with adrenaline hitting her body upon their rapid approach, Sola took a second to look from side to side, at Poe, at Rose, at Finn, and the rest of the pilots down the line. They were all risking their lives, and she was the proudest she'd ever been for each and every one of them, including herself. She finally felt a part of something, of the Resistance.

"All right, ground forces lay down some fire!" Cannons behind her began to fire past them, the line of ground forces Poe was addressing instantly taking aim to aid them. They weren't large in number, but they certainly helped bring some more hope into the forefront of her mind as the mechanic shuffled in her rattling seat and took in the First Order forces which were rapidly closing in from up ahead.

They were outnumbered ten to one, and that was putting it mildly. There were only fourteen light crafts as their main line of defence, though somehow, Sola took a guess in assuming the Rebels had encountered worse odds in their lifetime.

"Fighters, break off!" 

Just like that they were engaged, breaking off in their straight lined formation to try and dodge the fire of TIE fighters raining down at them from above. Sola swerved to the left alongside Poe, keeping slightly behind them so they wouldn't accidentally collide into each other in their haste. 

The skimmer on her right was hit first, instantly exploding with a ball of fire that made her teeth clench together painfully. That could've been her.

Fingers tightening on the steering toggle, she swallowed a hiccup and barely dodged another oncoming succession of fire her ship rattling dangerously as if it was ready to give up from under her seat. 

Another ship behind Finn was next, shot down as they all continued to steer from side to side in an attempt to keep the TIE's from taking them out. Red salt minerals mixing with the debris, ship parts and fire in front of her eyes. 

"Come on! We gotta hold them till they pull up that cannon!" 

"We're already two down Poe, we need help!" Sola interjected grimacing at the sound of her strained voice, she didn't sound panicked yet, but definitely worried, grunting and barely missing another shot aimed at her cockpit.

She hoped the ground fire were fairing better behind them.

"Rose, you got three right behind you!" Finn exclaimed over the comm from behind Rose, making Sola look up towards the pair somewhere off to her right. 

The TIE's were closing in fast from behind her friend, but there was nothing the blond could do this far away as she was manoeuvring her ship into a sharp left turn to avoid two TIE's of her own "Rose!".

"I can't lose 'em!" Even as the black haired girl shifted her skim speeder forward, the blasters held firm, following her rapidly. She needed to get out of there, Rose was about out be shot down. 

"I'm coming!" As soon as the words left her mouth a blaster shot hit her rear making the mechanics ship lurch forward and lose it's sense of direction skimming off further to the left until she yanked hard on the handle to wrench it back into a straight line. Her ship was smoking somewhere behind her head, but there was nothing Sola could do about that right now.

"No you're not, hold steady!" Poe's voice shouted back across the com, watching her for a split second before looking back to Rose again with dread on his face.

Three TIE's above Rose's head exploded, shot through in a straight line skilfully. Whoever the- the Falcon?

"Whoo! Yeah!" Finn yelled in glee at the blast that saved Rose, the shadow of the Millennium Falcon passing over all their heads as it sped past above them. The Falcon was back, and it was here to help them!

"Whoo!" The slip of her own shout of relief slipped past the mechanics lips, grinning manically at the sight of the famous ship taking another enemy ship out with ease.   
Her skimmer sped back up to Poe's barely able to flash him a wide grin before she moved past him further out to her right to avoid another fallen TIE, for as old and rusted as the ships were, once they were warmed up they could really pick up some speed. Impressive.

Poe exclaimed what Sola was thinking in her head as she watched every single one of the TIE fighter ships peel off to follow the Falcon into the sky and away from the battle, laughing to herself, "She drew 'em off! All of 'em!" 

"Oh, they hate that ship!" Finn yelled back as the shadow of the fighter ships disappeared off into the distance behind the mountain rage out of their sights. 

This was their chance.

Rose spoke up next, "There it is".   
The large cannon rolled up ahead, its bottomless black hole staring back at each of them menacingly. That was their target.

"That is a big gun" Rose's voice faltered only to make Sola give a slight nod no one else could see from inside her cockpit.

"That's putting it lightly" The mechanic murmured into her com.

"Okay, it's heavy armoured. Our only shot is right down the throat" For as greatly as informed as Finn was, that was a lot easier said than done.

It was powering on already, glowing bright orange and red down it's centre. "The cannon's opening. This us our chance" 

"It doesn't look all that safe Finn!" Dreading too, but forcing herself to voice the thought Sola tried to swallow the unwavering rock in her throat again unsuccessfully as she watched. The closer they were getting, the hotter the cannon seemed to glow in front of them.

This time a speeder off to her far right was hit, the impact making her jump in her seat and grip the steering toggle so tight her knuckles were white and aching. Another two, three seconds after just beside Poe made her hold back a yelp, barely. That could've been Poe. They were loosing speeders too fast. 

A scream filled her headset, the speeder right in front of her going up in smoke and making her take a hard right to dodge it's smoking debris before levelling out beside Poe's own. She couldn't think about it now, but that scream would haunt her later. Sweat was clinging strands of hair to her forehead from under the tight fitting helmet, her breath had grown ragged from adrenaline, stress, and concentration. Everything was hot.

She wanted so badly to glance at Poe, one last time, even as another skimmer bust into nothingness. Just to see his handsome, rugged face one last time in case her speeder was the next to go. Blue eyes remained glued to the path ahead however, focused, she had a job to do, and she would die trying to accomplish it if she had to.

"They're picking us all off. We're not gonna make it" 

"Poe, we're almost there!" Sola shook her head, not taking her eyes from the cannon as Finn spoke up to agree with her from her right.

"All right, making my final approach" He had acquired the most direct path towards the cannon out of all of them, and he wasn't slowing down "Target in sight, guns are hot".

"No! Pull off!" The curly haired pilot didn't sound like he was making a suggestion anymore, demanding firmly instead for them to pull out even as Finn ignored him.

"He's gonna make it!" Sola could only watch Finn, keeping her speed even with Poe's own, praying her words would hold any sort of sway over the Captain even as she dreaded the results of her defiant interjection.

"What?" The ex-trooper finally seemed to actually catch onto the meaning behind Poe's demand, turning in his cockpit in front of them in bewilderment.

"The cannon is charged! It's a suicide run!" Poe yelled back angrily, desperately almost. "All craft, pull away!".

"No! I'm almost there!" he wasn't budging, speeding ahead in front of them. 

"Retreat, Finn! That's an order!"

Like that, Poe and the rest of the speeders pulled out and away from Finn. Sola remained hesitant for another brief second watching him from her own speeder. She would have given her life for Finn, for the Resistance "Sola, retreat now!" But Poe's voice snapped her away from that thought and she steered off to the left to join him. He was right, it was suicide, even if it was for a worthy cause. 

"Finn-"

"Finn? It's too late! Don't do this!" Rose cut off the words that Sola had planned to say, the syllabus dying on her tongue, Rose had more of a chance at stopping him now than anyone else, she was still on the path alongside Finn.

"No! I won't let them win!" Yet Finn had the most reason to hate, despise the First Order. He had experienced all of their wrath first hand. The hatred in his voice was more than justified even if it made Sola's gaze drop and eyebrows crease. He had his mind set.

"No! Finn, listen to Poe!" Even while the black haired maintenance worker insisted, Finn did not slow down or hesitate for even a second "We have to retreat!".

Finn's com went dead, he'd shut it off.

The light which erupted from the blaring cannon was blinding. A long, thick white and yellow streak painting out the space all the way up to the shield doors. "The cannon is warming up now" The scout over the radio confirmed all of their greatest fears. Every ounce of adrenaline in her bloodstream faded and was instead replaced by dread. "Copy that we see it".

"Preparing to fire" She could only hope that it's impact wouldn't hurt anybody inside.

"Finn..." Hopelessness consumed her, Finn had turned his mono-ski off and sped further into the air. He was going to hurl his speeder, himself, head first into the front of the cannon. 

Sola was sure she could hear Poe scream his name beside her, the drumming in her ear ensured her however that she couldn't be quite sure.

Rose collided her ship into Finn's own, effectively pushing him off track and, hopefully, saving his life. Sola barely managed to catch the act as she shut down he speeder and dived out of it to run after Poe towards the small trench. Heart pounding, knuckles aching from her previous strained grip, she skidded on the salty gravely earth behind the pilot who turned to grab her hand and drag her down with him "Go, go!" 

As soon as their feet landed at the bottom of the trench hole he ushered the last two people in front of them down into the base and pushed her body in after them "Move! Go, go! Quick!" The deafening sound of the cannons fire made her ears ring as she crawled inside, Poe hot on her heels together with BB-8 who was beeping manically.

The blast that followed drowned out any other noise around them inside the Rebel base. A blinding white light consuming her line of sight upon impact as Poe wrapped an arm around her to shield her from the blinding view. "We need to get out of here!" Eyes wide in panic, she caught Poe's stiff nod before he'd taken her hand again in his own and dragged them towards the rest of the pilots huddled by the makeshift barriers. Sola didn't remain there long however, and tore herself away stubbornly to find the General in the small control room.

"Our distress signal has been received at multiple points...but no response" Connix's words made Sola feel sick, a sensation she'd surprisingly grown used to with the last few days of events. No one was coming for them.

"They've heard us, but no one's coming".

"We fought till the end. But the galaxy has lost all its hope" Leia sounded more defeated than Sola could have ever imagined, the sight of the smaller woman collapsing herself to sit making her own hope weaver. If the General had lost hope, then what else could they do!?

"The spark, is out" Each words was groundbreaking, all together making up a commitment so strong Sola wanted to scream out all of her fear and frustrations into the air and just collapse. 

This could not be it, this could not be how it ended! 

"I can't accept that General, not after everything!" For the first time in a long time, Sola gathered up the courage to sound braver than she felt. Stepping forward away from the doorway and to sit beside Leia instead "We can't give up, we're the last of the Resistance" her gaze was strong, un-faltering even as Leia looked at her hopelessly. Though her gaze was not held long however, instead the older woman's eyes moved behind the young blond and onto an approaching figure.

Sola turned, confused at what she was staring at.

Every pair of eyes trailed the robe figure until it stood before Leia and the droid mechanic.

"Luke" a single word that meant so much coming from the General's lips and made Sola's heart stop dead in it's tracks.

The Luke. Luke Skywalker. Master Luke Skywalker, the famous Jedi?!

The bearded Jedi said nothing as he sat himself down in front of the pair, eyes strong on his sister's. 

"I know what you're gonna say" Leia cut him off before his open mouth could even begin to speak, "I changed my hair" the woman's comically unfitting words, given the situation, made Sola bite back a slight giggle. 

Luke shared the sentiment, nodding his head with a breathy chuckle before he agreed "It's nice that way" it sounded- looked, like a family reunion. A real family reunion, one she could have only dreamt of sharing with her own sister. But things unfortunately hadn't turned out that way of course.

The pair of siblings smiled at each other for a beat before Luke's gaze was hard again, "Leia, I'm sorry" 

"I know" General Organa remained smiling gently, understandingly "I know you are, I'm just glad you're here" Sola felt like she was intruding again and slid herself away from them silently, deciding instead, to make her way back to Poe, crouching herself down beside BB-8 and planning to brush some of the dirt and dust from his body while she listened on her way out.

"At the end".

"I came to face him Leia" the older man confessed, making the smile fade from Leia's features, "And I can't save him" whoever they were taking about, the mechanic wasn't quite sure just yet.

"I held out hope for so long, but...I know my son is gone".

Leia Organa had a son?! Sola looked up from watching BB8 in the distance in surprise, glancing at Poe for a split second before looking back through the doorway at the pair that were speaking. Why hadn't she known about this earlier, it seemed like pretty important information.

"No one's ever really gone" Luke Skywalkers words made her hurt on the inside, remembering her Mother, her sister for a brief moment even if he hadn't addressed his sentiment to her. 

She clung to any truth in it regardless and let her hand rest atop BB-8's head as she reached him, the astromech beeped lowly in question only to make her shake her head and smile at him, whispering "It's nothing B, I'm just glad you're okay".

Luke only addressed one other being in the room, C-3PO, before he left wordlessly thought the doors and headed towards the hole which had been blasted open from the shield doors. Was he planning on facing down all of the First Order, alone?!

Each one of the Resistance members rose to their feet to watch in astonishment, Sola remaining on her knees beside the BB unit she'd come to cherish. He really did look like a true legend like this.

No legend could survive the, frankly, unnecessary amount of fire which rained down on him only moments later however. Every single ship seemed to have trained its fire on him for a long minute until everything around them grew silent again. And through the red dust, Jedi Master Skywalker stepped forward, cockily brushing invisible dust from his shoulder. 

She liked this man.

"Med pack! I need a med pack!" With her eyes trained on the Jedi, Sola hadn't even seen Finn enter until she heard him yell. He was dragging in Rose's unconscious body on what looked like part of one of the skim speeders. 

"Finn, you're alive?!" Her voice echoed gently as she took them both in, grinning.

"Yeah, you got Rose to thank for that one" was his only reply as he embraced Poe.

Sola was the first at her friends side, taking Rose's dirty face into her hand to make sure she was breathing. When the push and pull of air hit her fingers, she heaved a sigh of relief "Thank the force" before medical officers, including Lizzy whom she hadn't even seen since they had landed on the mineral planet, hurried to assist Rose.

"We got it Sola" Were Lizzy's only words, she sounded on edge, like she had been crying previously and was barely keeping it together. The thought made Sola place a hand on her friends shoulder for a brief moment before stepping away to let her work. She could comfort her later, once they were out of this mess.


	22. The Spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out trusting in the Force, or rather, those who wield it is a good idea.

Once Rose had been carried away to the back of the room to be attended to properly, the rest of the Resistance members stood watching Luke Skywalker from the hole in their shield wall. Waiting, guessing what he was trying to do but none of them ever exactly sure.

Sola stood by BB-8 and Connix behind Poe who was peering into the distance with mechanical binoculars of some sort. The same kind he'd used back on Dantooine. 

"It's Kylo Ren" He informed them all after a beat, "Luke's facing him alone" That didn't sound good at all, not from the tone of Poe's voice, and not with how Sola remembered the Sith apprentice in her mind. How he'd tortured her in her head, tore his way through every single memory as if it were nothing. The memory of the incident made her shudder as she watched grim faced.

"Well, we should help him. Let's go" Finn was becoming more like Poe every time she saw him, as much as his intention made sense, what could they really do against Kylo Ren and the First Order now?

"I don't think that's a good idea Finn" 

The pilot in front of them all agreed with her, stopping Finn from walking ahead by placing an arm over his chest "No, wait. Wait" he took a moment to think, assessing the scene in front of his eyes in concentration. There had to be a reason for what Luke was doing.

Again he peered into his binoculars to search for an answer, Kylo Ren was walking up to face Luke Skywalker head on. The rest of the First Order fleet standing back, waiting. 

Red, then blue. Lightsabers in the distance lit up in unison as the two force users readied themselves for their long overdue encounter. Sola had never seen a saber ignited before, their colours were brilliant, radiant, even more so than any fired up engine or explosion she'd ever witnessed. For as much destruction as they were capable off, she dared to call them beautiful, even if they were just barely visible from so far away.

"He's doing this for a reason" Was the conclusion Poe came to, hand still holding Finn back. "He's stalling so we can escape" Several pairs of eyes were wide, staring at Dameron in realisation. That made sense.

"Escape?" Finn questioned doubt creeping into his voice "He's one man against an army. We have to help him, we have to fight".

"One Jedi" Sola corrected him only to make his dark eyes shift to her for a moment with a small shrug in surrender, still.

"No, no. We are the spark that'll light the fire that'll burn the First Order down" The dark haired Captain spoke with such conviction, such burning passion it stole the oxygen from the blond mechanic's lungs momentarily as she listened. The words were so passionate, so inspiring to her, and she could take a guess to assume, to many others at her side. 

It's what they needed, that hope, that spark.

"Poe's right" Moving to stand at his side confidently she nodded to Finn across the pilot's chest who turned to face his friend.

"Skywalker's doing this so we can survive" Poe stated firmly before turning completely to walk amongst the rest of the Resistance members watching "There's gotta be a way out of this mine. Hell, how did he get in here?" 

She hadn't even thought of that. How did Luke Skywalker get in here?!

"Sir, it is possible that a natural unmapped opening exists" Maker, she loved 3-PO and his little factual quibbs when they came in useful like this. As much as the gold plated droid could be a little too honest, he had his moments to shine. "But this facility is such a maze of endless tunnels that the odds of finding an exit are 15,428-" And just like that Sola wanted to hush him to be quiet again gently before anyone decided to punch him.

Dameron hushed him first however, hand held up to try and quiet him while he was assessing the area with his eyes "Shh. Shush. Hush" 3-PO continued to ramble on, "Shush up- Shut up!" Until Poe's yell finally shut the droid up mid sentence. 

"-To one" were the last words from the droids mouth, quietly.

"Listen" Everyone remained silent, peering around to try and catch whatever Poe was telling them to listen out for. 

Silence.

Silence. Where had those little crystal animals went-

"My audio sensors no longer detect the-" 3-PO took the words right from her mouth.

"Exactly" Cutting him off once more sharply, Poe began marching forward until he was behind all of them to look out into the vast distance of the cave lit up by several electric lamps that seemed to stretch on for miles.

"Where'd the crystal critters go?" Finn was behind him instantly.

A soft jingle alerted everyone's eyes. A single animal off in the far corner catching their attention like it had been waiting for them to notice it. It was sort of cute actually, Sola wished she had, had more time to study and appreciate them earlier.

It gave a slight whimper before hurrying off down a tunnel, it's white crystalline tail swooshing out behind it. 

Poe turned to address them all firmly a second later, "Follow me".

Everyone's eyes turned to General Organa who had appeared beside Connix, waiting for permission Sola didn't need as the blond began marching to stand beside Poe ready for the older woman's word.

"What are you looking at me for? Follow him" She shared the sentiment that made a smile twitch at Poe's lips as he lead the way ahead without another objection from anybody else. Sola stayed close to his side, her small legs straining to keep up in his quick pace as they tracked the crystal creature down the endlessly long cave system.

They came across a wall of boulders and rocks at the end. The creature watching them before it jumped up several feet and through a small, tiny little gap to the outside. There was no way any of them could fit through that.

"No. No, no, no" Poe raced forward, Finn following as they searched the rubble wall with a flashlight for any exit point large enough for them. "No!" They found nothing, the flare of angry disappointment in the pilot's voice making the mechanic who watched, together with the others, sigh.

"Poe it's okay..."

"No, none of this is okay. None of it!" His harsh tone made her flinch as Poe dived back down from the high rocks, a hand racking through his curls in frustration. Sola hadn't meant the scenario they had found themselves in of course, merely the fact Poe's voice had made it seem like he was blaming himself for it. He shouldn't be.

Cracking, shifting, then light filled their vision as suddenly the rocks in their path began to shift, floating up in front of their very eyes.   
The mechanic's mouth hung open in sheer shock, along with everyone else's.

Rey, her strong figure greeted them as the outside slowly came into view. Her hand was raised into the air, concentrating hard until the boulders were out of the way far enough for the Resistance members to step forward.

Poe, Finn, Connix, Sola, and the rest one after the other racing up towards the daylight with relief flooding through them. It looked like such an impossible scene, that Sola had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Finn was the first out of the gap, throwing himself into an bone-crushing embrace with Rey while the rocks tumbled to the floor on either side of them. Tears of relief made their way from Sola's eyes as she watched the exchange silently, hurrying to hide them away, Poe came up to stand beside her and use his thumb to wipe the tears first, he was smiling just as much as she was.

"We're...alive" She sniffled embarrassingly. 

"We're alive" Poe confirmed with a grin before the ramp on the Falcon above them on the cliff lowered and Rey ushered them aboard. 

Rose was brought on with Lizzy at her side, placed gently into the small circular bed inside the ship and covered with a spare blanket Sola had found laying on one of the old shelves. The ship was old on the inside, as expected, but didn't lose any of its charm or splendour because of it.

The ramp hissed shut with a loud bang, the Falcon lifting up once the last of the Resistance members had boarded, there weren't many of them left. But it was enough, because they had each other. Poe embraced C'ai Threnalli, a fellow pilot of his Sola remembered seeing flying one of the ski speeders, she was glad to see he, alongside the rest of them had made it this far. 

With no energy left, the mechanic plopped herself into the seat beside Lizzy with a sigh, watching the exchanges around her while her medic friend proceeded to rest her head on her mechanic friend's shoulder and close her eyes. 

"Long day?" The blond joked only to make the dark haired medic snort.

"You could say that, glad you're in one piece".

"You too" Was all she said with a faint smile as she watched Poe and Rey introduce each other with a firm handshake, before Poe wandered off to speak with C'ai. She too should probably say hello and thank the woman who had just saved them all, but all she wanted to do was close her eyes and go asleep now. Forget about what they'd been through, what had just been lost. Forget it all in favour of rest that sung to her like a deep space siren. 

And so she did.


	23. Resistance Reborn: Pt. 1: Allies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like landing safely on Ryloth isn't as easy as they thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the next few chapters onwards the story will be following alongside the events of the book: Star Wars: Resistance Reborn (By Rebecca Roanhorse). You do not have to read it to understand the story as I will try to keep all the relevant information, but I highly recommend it as it gives a lot more details on things happening between The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker. If you've already read the book and don't want to read through some of the scenes again from another perspective feel free to skip the Resistance Reborn Chapters. I also apologise in advance for any spelling errors because I am listening to this book as an audio book so I can't read up on how things are spelled physically, I have done my best to research and google what I can.

Ryloth, it was one of their first stops aboard the Millennium Falcon at the time as they travelled through space without any real direction. They were running out of fuel, and Leia had informed them she had an old ally on the planet, she hoped to cash in on a favour. And with their limited options, it was an option they needed to peruse. 

Sola had been given the responsibility to maintain all the droids abroad as they travelled, something she was not only good at but also kept her mind distracted from their dire circumstances.

As soon as Poe had met up with the rest of his Squadron, away to recruit and find help for what was left of the Resistance. Sola had been feeling uneasy. It wasn't like she could really accompany him, she was no real pilot, and even equipped with a blaster doubted she could be of much help. Though she was silently glad Jessika Pava, Snap Wexley and his wife Kare Kun as well as another new member Poe had mentioned, were there to keep him safe. Black Squadron were great pilots, even better people. She needed to trust in Poe, it wasn't like she had any other options either way. He was a reckless man in the best of times, but he had always made it out alive thus far.

Sitting with Finn, Rose, and Connix aboard the Falcon as they pondered over Leia's words about her ally. Sola kept her mouth shut for most part, she didn't feel like she qualified enough to give her opinion on the matter. Having barely visited four whole planets in her lifetime, and barely escaped with her life on two of them, she kept her head down and listened intently.

"I read about the battle of Ryloth, the liberation of the Twi'Lek's once" Rose, ever the one to reach back on her fascination for stories and the history of the Galaxy stated, her head lulled back in thought.

"It happened in the Clone Wars right?" Connix mused, not quite sure on the details herself but eager to find out more,

"Yeah, they even sent Jedi to assist in the liberation, Paige said they even had a song to celebrate it" Finn turned his head to Rose from the woman's side, eyebrow raised curiously.

"A song? To celebrate a battle?" He began, not quite sure how he felt about the idea "Isn't that a little..."

"Morbid" Sola finished, agreeing with him quietly as she leaned an elbow on the circular table they were seated at.

"They have songs for a lot of battles, they're there to celebrate victory, liberation, the end of conflict, not the actual violence itself" Rose defended quickly, though she held no anger for her friends distaste for the tradition. It wasn't for everyone, but from the songs she'd heard about, she herself thought them quite a beautiful thing.

"I wonder if they'll sing any songs about us, about Starkiller, or Crait" Connix mumbled out, more to herself than anyone else though it did result in all of their eyes coming to rest on her for a moment before they grew quiet in thought. What an idea.

"I would rather forget about Crait..." The mechanic wasn't sure it was much to celebrate, they'd lost more than they won. Finn hummed as if to agree before Rose interjected with more enthusiasm that made Sola smile a little again.

"For as much as we've lost, I think a song about us blowing Starkiller Base from the Galaxy would be pretty great" Who knows, maybe somewhere out there, on some distant planet, there were already people singing about that very thing. Or about the Resistance in general. Sola really hoped she would get to witness one of those celebrations before it all came to an end, preferably before she ended up dead in one of those battles herself.

"I think we're coming out of hyperspace" Finn looked up and around the small room aboard the ship, a subtle rocking alerting all of their attention and causing tension to fill the space. 

In unison each prayed that this wouldn't turn into a hostile welcome by the Rylothian government.

"Finn" General Organa's voice from the hallway called out his name, making him rise to his feet quickly and shuffle across the seat to hurry to the long corridor outside of the room. The rest of them followed without a word, Rose and Connix at his side while Sola tried desperately to peer between their shoulders and arms from behind to see what was going on.

"We might have a problem. I need you and Rose on the torrents just in case" Finn nodded sharply, the pair named glanced at each other realisation morphing into determination in sight of the duty placed upon them. They had the task of protecting the ship on their approach of the planet. 

With Finn and Rose racing to the guns, Sola was finally able to shuffle up beside Connix, peering out and down the hall to Leia who looked worried, a frown gracing her old weathered features. She looked tired.

"Is there anything I can do?" Connix asked from her side.

"Get on the communications console in the crew cabin, run through our ally frequencies again. Anyone within shouting distance of Ryloth in case-"

"Leia!" Rey's voice sounded panicked as she shouted down from the cockpit of the ship to interrupt Leia's instructions. 

The General gestured Connix away, the blond scrambling off to the communications cabin without protest to leave Sola standing there alone. Leia didn't have time to address her, turning away and rushing back towards Rey and Chewbacca who were piloting the Falcon.

Seeing no other option for how to help, Sola followed, rushing at the General's heel and biting her tongue for now so that she could stay out of the way but listen and offer any help they might be needing if anymore problems arose. With how things were looking, that possibility was looking more and more likely. 

The transmission light on Rey's console was blinking green when they entered, Sola hovering by the doorway. Leia didn't wave her out which was a good sign.

It meant whoever was possibly about to open fire on them, wanted to talk, a small relief from how tense the General had seemed when she ordered Finn and Rose to the guns just a few seconds prior.

"Answer it" Leia stated firmly, not needing an explanation from Rey to make her decision.

The young Jedi apprentice looked back at her with wide eyes, briefly hovering her eye on Sola behind the General, probably to gouge what she was doing here. "Go on".

"Oh my" C-3PO who she hadn't even registered was standing to her right, exclaimed suddenly only to male Sola jump on her feet before settling again. He could be particularly quiet when he wanted to be, "You must answer their hail, protocol rule 12B states that when entering any C-Class planet sovereign orbital space, it is required to respond to a government-" He spoke so fast with so much complex jargon Sola hardly caught all of it and was sure she'd heard some of it wrong when Rey interjected.

"What do I say?" She sounded as panicked as Sola felt, she couldn't even imagine being given the responsibility to answer a transmission from the Government of a planet that had its weapons trained on them. She felt for the Jakku woman, silently pleading that she could do this.

"You'll think of something" Leia offered no advice in return for reasons Sola could not fathom at that moment, was she...testing Rey? Or simply believed in the younger woman so much that she held no doubt in her mind for Rey's success.

"I thought that was your job" It wasn't an accusation and held not malice, but still Rey was right. Wasn't the General the one who was supposed to speak for them all, to represent the Resistance? Sola frowned slightly but kept her mouth shut.

"I'm too well known" Leia responded, and it made sense. If they wanted to remain under the radar, and away from any First Order sympathisers, better not have the most well known Rebel leader speak out to anyone unknown at all. "I don't think we want to reveal who we are quite yet, just in case the First Order beat us here".

"What if they'll help us, the Resistance, what if they turn out to be Allies?" Sola spoke up for the first time, causing Leia to turn to her with an intrigued expression the mechanic couldn't quite place. Had she spoken out of turn? 

"Then I would rather be sure they aren't supporting the First Order, before asking them for any help" With that, Sola couldn't argue. Even if Ryloth had fought Separatist occupation in the distant past, it did not mean their current government leadership would want to involve themselves with either side of the conflict these days. Leia was right, and Sola now felt foolish for having opened her mouth at all, shrinking back against the doorway.

"Won't they know the Millennium Falcon?" Rey broke the second of silence with more words of concern.

"Maybe, but they won't necessarily know I'm on the ship. And we won't know anything for sure until you answer that" Leia sounded like she wasn't making a suggestion anymore, urgency radiating in her tone. The more time passed, the less chance they had in resolving this peacefully.

"I-I can't!" Rey remained doubtful on the task given to her, Sola didn't blame her one bit.

"Of course you can" Yet the General remained just as confident in her abilities, nodding to the seated woman "And now".

"I-" 

Chewie, the other pilot seated by Rey's side roared exasperated and reached over to flip the green button on. Sola had never met him personally, nor been introduced. But she'd heard he was Han Solo's best friend and right hand man, or had been at least. He seemed an excellent pilot, and she would have to thank him alongside Rey later for their help at Crait.

A masculine voice filled the cockpit as soon as the button was clicked, she could hardly make out the details from how deep and gravity it was. But Sola doubted she needed the details, trusting in Rey to make her reply as she waited for the woman to speak up and reply.

"Identify yourself and your purpose in the Ryloth system, or we will be forced to bring your ship down. You have thirty seconds".

Now those words she did clearly understand, it caused a slight sweat to spread itself down the back of her neck while the mechanics arms crossed over her chest nervously. "What a warm welcome" The comment that slipped from her was barely heard, only 3-PO turning its golden head to her for a split second, she guessed he would exude displeasure and surprise at her words if he could form facial expressions.

"Ominous" Leia's own mumble of words made Sola bite back the tiniest of smiles, if they weren't in such a tense situation she would've wholeheartedly agreed, "I guess they don't get many visitors".

No, they probably didn't. Like most of the Galaxy, she guessed many of the systems these days were hunkered down dreading the arrival of First Order occupation that threatened them all. Or worse, the red hot streak of death that had taken out the Hosnian System not long ago. The memory of that destructive force made Sola shudder. These were dark times. They had all the right to remain wary, even of a single small ship such as this. 

Both supporting the Resistance openly, or defying the First Order occupation could result in their doom. All of Ryloth were at risk here.

The deep voice across the com system repeated itself, Chewie groaning while Threepio muttered something quietly worrying beside her. They were all on edge, eyes on Rey.

"This is...Rey" Even while sounding a little unsure, Rey finally spoke. Taking a beat for a breath before she continued "and we're out of the-" she paused glancing around the cockpit while Sola turned to the golden plated droid at her side to whisper to him.

"What are our chances of coming out of this alive and unharmed Threepio?" It was perhaps a rude thing to ask while Rey was speaking, trying her best, but Sola wanted to distract herself from the conversation for just a moment to discover this fact as well as keep 3-PO from interrupting anything. Just in case.

"Miss Naberrie the chances of avoiding a hostile encounter now?! Well, by my calculations it would be-" Leia gave them both a slightly annoyed but not yet quite angry look over her shoulder that made Sola hold up her hand to stop the droid and quieted them both instantly.

"We're expected" The mechanic caught the end of Rey's words, obviously a lie, but not a terrible one. Carrying medical supplies to another planet wasn't the worst cover they could have. 

"Transmit your clearance code now" Was that something they even had?! Sola doubted it, the demand of the voice over the com making her more nervous by the second.

Eyes big, worried, Rey's eyes turned to the General for help "What do I say?!" She mouthed through clenched teeth.

"Think of something" Leia mouthed back, she really wasn't offering up much guidance for the poor woman today. Rey would be on her own in this one.

"I...uh, we lost our code" Rey was a fast thinker Sola thought, giving an impressed eyebrow lift as she observed. "Terrible incident on Tido Minor, do you know it? But I assure you we-" 

"I'll take it from here Lessu-Command".  
Another voice, female, cut in on Rey's speech, a new one from beyond the com that made the young mechanics shift on her feet from behind Leia. She sounded authoritative, like someone who expected obedience and respect.

"Another ship on the scanner..." Rey mumbled something under her breath giving a low whistle, sounding impressed by the ships model, it wasn't one Sola had ever heard of before, "That's a nice ship".

"Identification?" Leia asked cautious.

"Transponder's not broadcasting one" 

Leia frowned down at the two pilots. Friend or Foe?

"Get those shields ready just in case Rey, we don't know if this new ship is on our side or if we're about to jump from the skillet into the scolder" 

"Copy that".

Better to be weary and ready, than caught unprepared and dead, Sola thought as she tried to see the ship past them from the front view of the cockpit. 

"Not your jurisdiction!" The Ryloth government party from the first ship they'd made contact with cut in annoyed to the new ship on their scanners. "We can handle this!" 

Somehow, amongst their heated debate on who would handle this matter. Sola silently hoped Poe would be here right now. She was sure he could easily use his charm and charisma to talk them out of this mess and into welcoming open arms. She missed his snarky quips, endearing charm and cocky attitude. Even the way he made her feel both frustrated and annoyed sometimes in his close proximity, the image of the curly haired pilot in her head made her heart clench in her chest just a little bit. 

Was Poe okay? Had he been harmed in his countless perils away off of the Millennium Falcon? He'd promised her he'd be back in one piece, he'd promised her a lot of things before he departed. Yet the idea of actually seeing his handsome face again made the nervousness bite at her bottom lip. 

Rey's voice cut in her thoughts, dampening any internal monologue with a hopeful tone, "It's the Resistance channel!" The new ship had managed to not only grant them a safe landing onto the planet, but was now also switching communications and contacting them on a Resistance frequency?! Sola held her breath.

Leia leaned over Rey's shoulder, pressing the transmit button before the younger girl even had a chance to try. "Who is this?"

"Millennium Falcon, you're required to follow me" The female voice answered back simply.

"This is General Leia Organa of the Resist-" Sola had never heard the General speak out her full title like that, full of authority, full of meanings behind those words that reminded the mechanic just who she was working for here.

"We know who you are General, please follow us" A rude interruption from the voice that made Sola huff under her breath. "We'll explain once we get on the ground you're attracting too much attention up here" the mechanics frown fell again, they were right. With such a famous ship up in the air like this, they were practically asking to be spotted in the sky. They had a point.

Leia dropped back in her seat finally, "Do as she says. Let's see where this goes" Chewie answered with a growl of acknowledgement before the Millennium Falcon fell behind the ship in it's trail.

"They're leading us away from the Capital City" Rey reported. 

"Less eyes" Sola commented offhandedly in a reply no one had asked for but Rey replied to with a small glance.

"Which way?" The General asked, gesturing Sola into the seat behind Chewie. The mechanic hadn't even thought about entering the cockpit fully, nor had she thought Leia had even wanted her there in the first place. Slightly relieved she wasn't being thrown out, she slid herself into the seat and buckled up the belt, just in case. Giving the General small smile in gratitude.

"The Southern Hemisphere" Rey answered Leia while Sola was adjusting in her seat. "There are forests near the equator, but after that it looks like open desert" 

The thought of them having to land in a desert made Sola cringe, she was sure Rey would agree that staying in a forest seemed like the more pleasant alternative here. She wasn't ready to wash sand out of her hair and boots again like on Tatooine just yet.

"Looks like Jakku" Rey's words had been so quiet Leia and Sola had almost missed them, Leia remaining silent for a moment which prompted Sola to voice her own thoughts.

"Or Tatooine" It was just as quiet, but Rey still turned her head to smile at the blond mechanic. Perhaps they weren't so different in this regard, they'd grown up in the same climate, and alone for most part. 

When Rey didn't elaborate any further, the General spoke again "Well you did say the Millennium Falcon was headed for the Southern Hemisphere, so maybe they're covering for us".

"Why would they do that?" Rey questioned confused, and she was right. This strange ship had owed them nothing up until now, yet they had helped them regardless.

"Maybe they want our cover story so stand up too" The older woman mused making Sola lean back in her seat a little.

"That's...nice of them" The mechanic hummed, suspicious but glad thus far that they seemed to be helping the Resistance rather than making their landing on Ryloth any worse than it had been. That didn't mean they had good intentions however, taking someone off the beaten track could also mean that they simply wanted to seclude the Falcon. Away from anyone, it would make it easier to make them disappear. 

They flew the territory of greenery and trees, passing over them like a passing thought until they were flying over an expanse of red rock desert that made Sola plead in her head that they might come across some water soon. There were barely a few small settlements out here, and nothing even close to a city.

Soon enough the ship ahead of them ducked into a wide canyon that was etched into the landscape, the Falcon following with a twist.

"I don't like this" Rey said quietly what Sola too was thinking in her head as she peered out of the glass ahead, trying to find any indication of a trap, guns, troopers, or other ships that might be lying in waiting for them. She hadn't spotted anything thus far.

"Not a lot of room to manoeuvre down here" Rey added.

"Stay the course" Leia reassured calmly, even as the cockpit drummed with unspoken tension and rocked gently as it flew forward. 

The opening in front of them narrowed, but the young pilot woman said nothing as she handled the challenging landscape effortlessly. Sola wondered silently where she had learned to fly like that, who had taught her? A hint of jealously quickly pushed aside by awe welled in her for the younger woman. 

They were being lead into a cave of some kind, dipping downwards the nose of the ship through a natural opening in the mountainside. "Do we follow?" Rey asked with a tight voice.

"We came this far" The General replied.

"It could be a trap" Sola interjected quietly from the side, Rey agreeing with her with a stiff nod.

"I don't think so. If it was a trap, why bother bringing us all the way out here?" Leia continued.

"To hide the evidence" Rey answered for Sola, the mechanic appreciating the support for her justified worry. It earned the younger girl a glance from Leia to see if she was joking, but both Rey and Sola were serious.

"I don't think so" She assured after a second.

Once again, the droid standing behind Leia decided it was a good time to speak "Excuse me General, I don't mean to counter your years of military experience and expertise-"

"Then don't" Leia's bold reply made Sola bite back a laugh she felt didn't fit the circumstances.

"But the statistics are alarmingly high that a trap is likely considering-"

"Thank you Threepio" The older woman sounded irritated though trying to be polite, and it reminded her of how Poe had spoken to the droid back on the Cruiser, before Crait, even on Crait. 

"They're landing" Rey's sharp voice cut in making Sola and Leia's eyes turn away from the golden droid again to take in the scene ahead of them. They'd entered a hanger of some kind, the cave opening up into a vast space none of them had expected. The ceiling lost to darkness and ground below buffed into a gleaming obsidian traced over with glowing lines that lit up as landing paths.

A fully functioning landing base, in the middle of this hidden cave at the back of a canyon on Ryloth. Well, this was interesting to say the least.

"What is this?!" Rey asked quietly.

"The RDA apparently" Leia responded with a quiet laugh, "I think we've stumbled into exactly what we need".

"Should I land?" Still unsure, Rey turned head slightly. Even as the way was lit out in front of them, inviting them. Sola shared her sentiment, turning to Leia for conformation.

"Yes, let's go see what and who, we've found" The elder woman held no concern, and if she did, her voice did not show it. 

The Falcon was brought down smoothly between the green glowing lines by Rey, settling gently with its engines shutting down slowly. It was the first time it, as well as the rest of the Resistance onboard, had landed on solid ground in what seemed like weeks.

The General was the first on her feat with a small exhale, standing and patting down her clothes. "Shall we?" They were all on their feet already, waiting her command.

Rey, Chewie, C-3PO and another droid following her lead out of the cockpit and down the hall while Sola stayed back still standing by her seat, the distinct chatter of Threepio and his complaints following in their wake. As much as Leia had welcomed her presence in the cockpit of the ship, she was unsure if she should follow now. This was still a dangerous place with many outcomes if they were compromised or fell into the wrong hands. She wouldn't be needed with them, not for such an important meeting.

Rey turned before she exited the small space, raising an eyebrow at the blond "Are you coming?" 

"No I-..." The mechanic hesitated yet again, dropping her gaze and turning to peer out of the window "I think I'll go find Finn and Rose, tell them what's happening" for as much as she wanted to be there, she felt not quite as important or confident in her abilities as the rest of them. Not yet.

Rey didn't argue, giving her a nod and extending her hand suddenly "I'm sure you know by now, but I'm Rey, nice to meet you" They hadn't officially introduced themselves, and it had been about time. 

"Sola, Finn told me a lot about you" Sola smiled back, reaching out to shake her hand firmly.

The taller woman gave a small chuckle at that, shaking her head momentarily, "He's mentioned you too" That surprised Sola, but before the blond had time to ask Chewie's loud roar was heard down the hallway and Rey turned away with a small sigh "I'll see you later". With that she was gone.


	24. Resistance Reborn: Pt. 2: Transmissions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to call back the Resistance Squadron's and tell them of the good news.

It turned out, that even if Sola hadn't planned on joining them, Rose and Finn had met them by the outer doors together with Connix, which had ultimately resulted in the blond mechanic meeting back up with them by the General anyway. Rey gave her a small shrug that told her 'oh well', before Sola stood beside Rose addressing her and Finn with a small smile, they looked worried.   
Understandably so.

"Open the door" Leia spoke up ahead of them "Weapons close, but not drawn. I'm still hoping this is a friend" Finn pushed spare blaster into Sola's hands, she hadn't been able to pick one up on her way here and was silently glad Finn just happened to be carrying two of them. She tucked it into the side of her utility belt quickly, hoping she wouldn't need to use it.

Chewie punched the button and the ramp of the Millennium Falcon lowered with a small whirring noise. 

Two Twi'Lek's approached them once it hit the ground, all of them stiffening and straightening up. 

A female with orange eyes and skin, a fighter with a blaster in hand, and a male with pale purple skin and dark eyes. They seemed competent, organised. 

"Welcome Leia Organa" The female spoke, and Sola recognised her voice from the earlier transmission over the com on their ship. She had to have been the one speaking to them and piloting it.

"Our mysterious escort" Leia acknowledged her with a small nod, Sola was sure the Twi'Lek was introducing herself but she didn't catch her name from the way Chewie was obscuring her vision with his tall frame. It was hard to see past everyone when most of them were taller than her.

"Pilot for the Ryloth defence authority" She did catch the end of the Twi'Le's introductions and raised a quizzical eyebrow. Since when was a defence stationed this far out from one of it's main cities, in the middle of nowhere. 

"You'll pardon my ignorance, but I'm not familiar with the defence authority" The General replied slowly, seeming to be thinking behind her words. 

"And why would you be, unless you recently spent time on our planet" The male Twi'lek stepped forward and gave Leia a small bow.

Sola had become distracted again, her eyes roaming around the large area around them with curiosity and awe reflecting in her wide gaze. She'd never seen something this big, even Crait seemed small in comparison. Everything had a red orange hue to it, even the obsidian floors held a hint of it. It reminded her they were indeed inside a desert canyon cave, and not inside a newly constructed artificial military base. It was a pleasant temperature in here too, not as hot as in the broad desert daylight, but not as cold as in the freezing nightly temperatures. Though she did hug Poe's jacket, the one he'd given her for back on Dantooine, tighter around her frame. Casual attire or not, she didn't want it to get anymore damaged or dirty if she could help it.

Rose nudged her ribs, bringing her wondering attention back to Leia "And who's scope do you wish to stay off of?" The elder woman was questioning the secret authority members pointedly.

The female Twi'Lek let out a loud laugh, "Who do you think?" 

"You'll have to excuse my sister, we're a bit on edge after what happened to the Hosnian System" The purple skinned Twi'Lek interjected smoothly to his sisters amused words. "And not everyone thought it was a wise decision to allow you to land here".

The mention of the system made Sola stiffen glancing at Rose at her side who returned the look. 

"I understand" The General took no insult, understanding the implications over such an act. 

"I don't know that you do" the male said "We are taking a risk having you here, should the First Order find out that we've given you aid. We become targets ourselves. You could drag us into war" he sounded like he was becoming angrier, the tone of his voice making Sola nervously place a hand on her blaster ever so slightly. "Or worse".

Leia gave a nod, all too aware of the dangers that trailed the Resistance, "We are grateful".

They seemed to be staring at each other from what she could see, standing on her tip toes to try and see past Rey's shoulder. And after a beat, the male Twi'Lek looked away again.

"It wasn't our call" gesturing to himself and his sister "It was his. So an exception was made"

"I'd like to see him now if I could, we don't have much time" 

The purple skinned Twi'Lek male gave a short nod "Then by all means, let us not keep him waiting any longer". With the pressure in his accented voice gone, Sola relaxed slightly and rested both hands by her sides. 

Even with assurance made, they were all offered food and drinks to refresh themselves first, a whole cart full in fact. Apparently Twi'Leks took hospitality very seriously, and no one felt inclined to refuse it and be rude. As odd as the food was, Sola appreciated it greatly. It differed from the very bland food they had on the Falcon, much the same offered up everyday for no room in variety. They were seated on a table just by the ramp of their ship, set up by two of the male Twi'Lek's kids who seemed to be especially awestruck by Leia Organa, understandably.

"Sure beats rations" Finn muttered stuffing some dried fruit in his mouth.

"Don't forget to chew" Rose scolded him with a small grin that showed she shared his sentiment despite her displeasure while Sola gave a small chuckle, gingerly biting into her own food "we represent the Resistance now, we have to act like it".

Chewbacca roared in agreement from beside them as Finn slid into a seat with a lowered head. Only to dig his big furry paw into a bowl of clear noodles in the centre of the table, everyone laughed, including Chewie. The tension forgotten for a moment as they enjoyed each other's company, as well as the prospect of new allies. 

Leia parted from the group after a brief discussion with Chewie off to the side. Rey and Threepio accompanying her while the rest of them remained and sat eating and chatting lightly.

"You thinking about Poe?" Sola choked on a piece of dread fruit on her mouth, hitting at her chest before managing to gulp it down with a string of coughs. Rose's words had caught her off guard, turning to her smaller friend at her side to blink down at her. Rose grinned back at her, one eyebrow raised in question, teasing almost. 

"W-What, no, no I was just-" 

"Thinking about Poe" Finn interjected across from her, mouth full of food but smirking regardless. Knowingly. Sola frowned and averted her eyes down onto the clay plate on the table. She hadn't meant to look so obvious when she thought of what Poe might be doing right at this moment. If he was soaring through endless space in his borrowed X-Wing, or perhaps in the middle of a dispute liberating a city with Jess and Snap at his heels. Maybe he was thinking of her too.

Both of her friends gave each other a knowing look before turning to their blond friend again "We'll see him again soon" Rose assured taking another bite of her own food with a more comforting smile rather than a teasing one Finn held.

"Leia said Black Squadron should be on their way back soon" Finn added and Sola was silently thankful he had been close enough to the General on the Falcon to have overheard that fact. It eased her just a little.

"Let's hope they have somewhere to return to" Connix quipped in quietly, not quite as hopeful as she tried to sound. They were still looking for a place to set up and rest properly, Leia had voiced several times she wanted somewhere for their Squadron to return to with their X-Wings, somewhere safe. Secure. Somewhere to regroup.

"I just hope they're okay..." Sola voiced her worry gently, playing with her leftover food for a moment before looking up at Finn who mirrored her worried look with understanding.

"Me too" He reached across the table to take her hand momentarily, enough to make her smile again from his reassurance and resumed with eating her array of dried fruits properly.

Once Leia returned to the ship with Rey at her side, a strenuous relief on her features had made them all fall silent. "They have agreed to offer the Resistance sanctuary and rest here for a while" As much as that was good to hear, it was also worrying to think what might happen if the First Order found this out. Ryloth was risking a lot in offering their aid like this, no matter if to one Resistance member or all of them. Not that there weren't many of them left now.

Back on the Millennium Falcon, Leia instructed Rose and Sola to gather in the Communications deck after everyone had finished their food. Sola wasn't exactly sure why, at least not until the General had told Rose to punch in the frequency for Poe's X-Wing and told them to relay a particular set of updates to the Commander. She fell silent as they waited for him to pick up, heart in her throat. The General left them to it.

They waited for several long seconds, Rose sparing the mechanic a glance that told her she was nervous about this too.

"This is Poe Dameron" His deep voice finally replied over the com "Everything alright?". Sola wished somehow that she were the only one in the room right now, just to that she could selfishly yell at him that everything was okay, and that she missed him, and that she lo-.

She stopped, listening instead.

"Poe!" Rose's enthusiastic relieved voice made Sola flash her a small smile in their shared relief "Good to hear your voice, did you find Maz Kannada?" 

"Rose?" Poe replied after a beat, obviously just now recognising her voice "everything okay on the Falcon?"

"Falcon's on land" Rose replied, but still didn't give him the answer Sola knew he desperately craved right now "We're hoping you and Maz will join us".

"Everyone's okay, we're safe" The mechanic spoke up excitement breaking through in her high pitched voice, unsure if she was allowed to but feeling the overwhelming urge to make herself known to Poe.

After another second of silence, Sola and Rose wondering if Poe had cut communications by accident or entered an asteroid field, Poe spoke again, sounding dejected, annoyed and a little disappointed too.

"Maz isn't coming. I'm afraid she's decided to sit this fight out".

Even while the news was bad, Sola couldn't help but let a grin spread over her face. Just hearing his voice over the com was enough to shoot adrenaline through her body, relief and joy flooding her until she was rocking on her heels. Hand gripping the side of the communications com-link giddy. Rose noticed but only rolled her eyes ignoring her blond friend.

"What?" The black haired girl was surprised by his words, much like Sola was, though her thoughts weren't overshadowed with the sense of excitement her mechanic friend was feeling at the moment "W-Why?!".

"She didn't say..." Poe answered grimly keeping the details to himself, he didn't need to diverge the fact that Maz had her own priorities that didn't include the Resistance to the girl who had just lost her sister in the evacuation of D'Qar. In that regard, both of the woman on the line had lost their sisters. Even if he hadn't known Paige Tico well, her sacrifice was etched into his memories, as did every sacrifice and loss of the Resistance. Of his friends. He was responsible for her death too, it was his command that had sent Paige's bomber over the Dreadnought in the first place. His decision, blood on his hands. 

He wouldn't forget it, though did not regret it either. Unlike his mutiny.

"shelter on Ryloth" Rose was talking again though Poe only caught the end of it, perking up.

"The Ryloth system? Did I hear that correctly?" 

"You did Commander" Sola spoke up to speak for Rose for a beat, her grin having lowered itself into a small smile while her nerves calmed down a little.

"Leia has secured us temporary shelter on Ryloth" The mechanic clarified again, picking up on the fact Poe had been distracted by something and most likely only heard part of Rose's passionate statement. 

A chuckle was heard over the com, Poe's amused voice making Sola wish she could witness it in person again.

"How did Leia pull that one off, I thought Ryloth didn't pick sides?!" He asked in surprise.

"She's Leia" Rose mused back simply, as if her hope and awe of the General had never wavered in her life even for a second. Sola was sure it never would.

"She is indeed" The pilot agreed with a hum in his voice.

With a flurry of buttons, Rose was typing something into the system Sola couldn't pick up on until her smaller friend spoke up to clarify "I'm sending BB-8 the coordinates now" Rose said.

"This says head for the outermost moon is that correct?" 

Sola turned away from the machine as Rose informed a confused Poe of the fact that the ambassador had asked for the Resistance Starfighters to meet there, to stare at the door where Connix had wondered by, giving the woman a small nod of acknowledgement before she continued on her way.

"-once everyone's collected he'll bring you in undercover" the rest of Rose's sentence caught her ears as she turned back towards the console. 

"Ah" a sound of understanding from Poe on the line told her he understood "So we're not officially on Ryloth" because why would they be? Why risk the wrath of the First Order? Better to keep it a secret for as long as possible if they could help it.

"It's a bit of a stealth mission" Rose retorted giving a shrug only the blond mechanic across from her could see "The government knows we're here but they can't acknowledge us. We're working directly with the Ryloth Defence Authority".

"The Ryloth Defence Authority? I don't know what that is, but it sounds promising" Poe replied simply, unsure of how to feel about it but never one to back away from a few complications.

"Leia can explain once you're here, any word from the rest of your squadron?" Rose asked hopeful only for Sola to add to her words quickly,

"Jess, and Snap?"

"Negative" 

His answer made Sola let out a little sigh not loud enough to be audible over the link, she had hoped to hear from them both, Kun too. At least no news meant no bad news too. 

"But I'm just clearing planet orbital space. I'll follow up with black teams one and two shortly and give them the coordinates" He informed them both after a small second. 

"Affirmative. Leia also wants you to follow up with inferno squadron and give them the coordinates too" Rose nodded to herself, listening intently.

"Can do" 

"Great! See you soon Commander" Rose's parting words made Sola bite back before shaking her head. She wanted to talk more, ask more questions about what had happened while Poe was away. How he was, if he was hurt. But they didn't have time for idle chit chat right now, and he'd make it to the Ryloth system soon enough, or so she hoped at least.

"Stay safe, Commander Dameron" The mechanic added quietly only to earn her the smallest of chuckles of Poe before he replied.

"You too. Out" He said before the transition went dead and Rose switched off the com's right after, her back relaxing into a chair at her side with a sigh. It was tense, but relieving to hear the update from Poe, and for the maintenance worker to relay all the important information like Leia had instructed the pair to do.

"You did great" Sola mused from across the station at Rose, the girl giving her a small smile as she ran a hand through her hair "I hope the rest of black squadron is alright" the words gave away her worry and Rose straightened in her chair.

"Poe didn't sound worried" The smaller woman stated, tilting her head slightly.

"I know, I just can't help it..." Perhaps an unjustified thought but her anxiety wouldn't let up. Not until she saw them all safe and alive in front of her own two eyes.

"C'mon, let's inform Leia of the good news" Rose stood, offering a hand and helping Sola to her own feet to make their way to find Leia.

Poe, the squadrons, and everyone they'd managed to find out on their missions would be arriving soon. And while she lay awake that night, in a room accommodation provided by their gracious hosts, definitely more comfortable than anything the Falcon offered, alongside Rose, Connix and Finn, Sola clung to that fact tightly and let it drift her off to sleep.

Leia, Chewie and Rey had found it more comforting to sleep on the Falcon. Understandably.


	25. Resistance Reborn: Pt. 3: Eyes On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay but, Poe Dameron saying 'Eyes on Me' in that commanding tone was the hottest thing Sola had ever heard in her life.

Sola stood at Leia's side the next day. Watching over the vast desert sand and rock that seemed to carry on forever as they watched Black Squadron as well as the rest of the hope for the Resistance, come in over the open desert. They practically skimmed the ground, low and with minimum lights despite the dark of night. 

They had decided to conveniently use the day of a Twi'Lek holiday that day as cover. The darkest day on Ryloth where the moons were at their dimmest above the sky, and most citizens would be remaining indoors.

If one weren't looking for the speedy X-Wings and ships, they would've most likely thought them a natural phenomenon, or missed them all together. 

The closer they grew, the louder the telltale sound of X-Wing engines filled their ears. Sola was biting back a grin again, trying to not to look as eager and excited as she felt standing at the General's side. She'd been allowed to watch from the library, built into a large command centre, with Leia only after having shyly begged her that morning. The elder woman had looked a little reluctant at first, but once she'd seen the eager look on the mechanics face, and grew to understand the reasons behind it. She'd allowed it graciously.

As the Starfighters, together with a small transport ship at its rear sunk past the mountainside, Sola wasted no time hurrying back inside the hidden base, practically flying forward down the tunnels, past R2 to rush to Rose's side in the hanger and take her hand momentarily in her excitement as they watched the ships sink and land onto the smooth floors. 

Ten X-Wings, an A-Wing, Poe's borrowed ship from the Hut, two smaller civilian transports and a transport which looked more like a yacht than anything else Sola had ever seen before, lowered themselves carefully. It wasn't a lot, but it was more than they had the day before, and it would have to do for now.

"Poe!" Sola ran up to his ship as soon as she recognised the top of his head, letting go of Rose who let her leave without a word.

"BB!" The astromech beeped in greeting as she stood by the X-Wing, grinning and waving up at the droid while Poe laughed and made his way from from the cockpit with a jump, helmet tucked under one arm. 

"Miss me?" That kriffing cocky smirk on his face made the blond laugh aloud, relief and joy taking and annoyance from her body and flinging it into deep space. 

"You're an idiot" She mumbled before he walked up to embrace her, lifting her easy in his strong arms and twirling her around several times while Sola laughed and threw her head back.

"So you did miss me?!" Poe chuckled back before finally lowering her to her feet again, giving her a once over with his eyes that told her he too had worried for her, if only a little. The thought made her blush under his gaze before looking down as BB-8 bumped at her legs.

Crouching down without hesitation, Sola patted his head with a large grin as he peered up at her "How are you doing Bud?" 

BB-8 have several beeps that made her giggle "A spa planet? And you didn't even get an oiling?!" She gasped in mock offence and gave Poe, who stood watching above her, an exasperated look that only caused the curly haired Commander to roll his eyes and throw the helmet back into his cockpit. 

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to pamper you, bring you right back to a blinding shine" A promise which made BB-8 chirp happily and give a small roll around her person to emphasise his excitement.

"Leia!" Looking up at Poe's voice, Sola caught him jogging up to Leia with R2 at her side a little ways away. The older woman having just arrived in the hanger herself.

R2 joined the mechanic and BB-8, rolling up eagerly to speak to his fellow astromech while Sola went to retrieve some polish and a rag to clean BB-8 up. He'd seen some action on his mission from the way layer of dirt and dust that had settled on his white and orange frame.

"Jess, I'm glad you're okay" On her way back from retrieving the items, Sola waved to Jessika Pava who was seated with her own astromech, the poor guy had seen better days and she made a note to visit it later and take care of any damage. 

"And you!" The black haired pilot waved back from a distance, she looked tired even with her smile. 

"Now stand still, don't worry R2 won't go anywhere without you, right R2?" R2 beeped in agreement. Sitting herself down beside BB-8 as he was talking to the blue and white R2 unit in front of him. Sola let them talk amongst each other as she got to work wiping down the droid and adding some new polish to make him shine. Besides a few scrapes, he was in great shape, she would need to thank Poe even if he was usually just as cautious with BB-8 as she was.

Watching from a distance as Poe spoke with Leia, several others coming to speak with the General. Sola stayed back and observed from beside astromech quietly. It was nice just to sit and watch, to listen rather than stand amongst them all and focus on all the chatter. Leia together with Poe made their way to one of the ramps of the transports where a crowd had gathered, embracing an older gentlemen she didn't recognise. So many new people, new members, a lot of them old Rebel heroes and strategists. She was silently glad the mission had went well, they had certainly needed these people.

Turning towards a sudden commotion, the mechanic raised to her feet to watch a disagreement from somewhere where Jess was standing. Frowning at the distinct noise of an argument, before the sound of a punch connecting with skin made her jump. Poe and several other Pilots rushing over to the fight before she could even take a step to intervene. 

Someone from another Squadron, Phantom Squadron? Had gotten into a fight with another new member and the sight of blood made the mechanic halt in her tracks. 

"What in the hell?!" Poe murmured still a distance away, Sola barely catching the words as she walked up cautiously to stand off amongst a few others who had formed a loose circle around the two people fighting. 

An ex-imperial woman, a new recruit was breathing hard to their left with a fresh cut above her eyes that was bleeding freely onto the black stone. She looked strong, with muscles that seemed like they had been earned fairly, rushed forward only for Jess to hurl herself forward and try to stop her by hanging onto her arm, pleading words trying to calm the rage burning in the larger woman's eyes.

Sola flinched, biting into her closed fist and hoped the black haired pilot wouldn't be hurt because of this.

Two others helped the pilot from inferno Squadron to his feet, the man protesting that he was fine as he wiped a streak of blood that wasn't his own from his face. 

Sola lost the rest of Poe's words somewhere behind her, eyes glued to the tense scene as he talked angrily with an older couple out of her sight. Should she intervene too? Jess looked to be struggling, and she worried the pilot might get hurt if the ex-imperial woman shoved her aside too harshly. Why were they even fighting each other in the first place, weren't they all on the same side?!

"S-Stop it!" Jess was practically being dragged across the floor on her feet as she clung to the bigger woman's muscled arms, not even Sola's weak words slowing her down. Stepping forward hesitantly she moved to try and help, standing between the two angry fighters who were staring each other down.

"Identify yourself pilot" Poe's angry, strained voice rang out, a couple of people turning their heads and parting slightly so that he could see the young pilot involved in the fight better. 

The young pilot tossed his black hair from his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, defiance in his hard angry gaze which was now directed at Commander Dameron who shook his head "Name! Pilot!" Poe demanded once more, clearly irritated. The tone and volume of his voice made Sola's jaw tighten, barely holding back a flinch.

"Pacer!" The young pilot spit back, "Pacer Agoyo".

"Pacer" The Commander's grim face gave him a firm nod of acknowledgement, "You know who I am?".

Pacer nodded "Poe Dameron", making Sola frown once she turned her body to see his expression. How in stars name was he talking to a Commander like that? Like he didn't care. It baffled her.

"No. I'm your Commanding Officer" Poe corrected him "And frankly right now, I'm not impressed with what I see. I understand you've come a long way to join us" he halted there, leaving the statement open, hanging in the air.   
No one dared interrupt, Sola least of all.

Pacer offered a word in a language she did not know of nor understood, it almost sounded like a curse, before the young pilot continued, "My dad flew with phantom squadron at Kashyyyk. But he's dead, so I came instead" That explained the uniform which looked to be two sizes too big for him.

"I appreciate your fathers service, and your willingness to join the Resistance. But unfortunately it looks like you're not a good fit for this mission. You're free to leave" 

Poe's words stung just to hear as the Commander turned his back on the young pilot, even if they were not directed to her. But he was right, they couldn't fight amongst each other like this, they couldn't have people out for blood within their own ranks. Young or otherwise.

Small gasps of shock echoed around, several people giving each other astounded looks while Jessika loosened her hold on the tall woman who had been hit in the face previously. 

Then, silence. 

Pacer shifted in his boots, looking like he was pacing and thinking for a moment before he finally spoke "Poe! I mean...Commander Dameron. I-I want to stay Sir, please. It's just-" His voice had shifted drastically, from anger and disdain to clear emotions which morphed his words into a genuine plea. Sola felt for the young man. Righteousness had overpowered any negative emotion he had once exuded. 

Reckless, trigger happy, loud, but in the end, righteous. The young pilot reminded her of Poe.

"It's just what Agoyo?" Poe turned around to look at him again, eyes still hard but listening. "Do you know each other?" he gave a glance at the Ex-Imperial woman Sola had yet to pick up the name of, the woman still looked pissed.

"She murdered my brother!" Pacer growled taking a step forward firsts rising, as if ready to continue the fight all of a sudden. As much as the words hurt to hear, as much as she felt for his loss, the loss of his brother, Sola could not agree that fighting this woman would bring him any peace. Not now.

"Agoyo!" Poe barked sharply drawing the young pilots attention back on himself.

"Eyes on me!" Their eyes met again.

Sola was silently glad Poe was here right now, even as she stood between the two, with Jess ready to jump in once again within a heartbeat. She doubted she could ever really stop the two bigger people from fighting. Poe's strong words were now bringing her comfort and relief instead of fear or dread. He sounded authoritative, in control, everything she was not and she felt suddenly proud of Poe for it all. 

Also in the very back of her mind the words 'Why did Poe Dameron sound hot when he said that' rung quietly.

"You will stop menacing Teese Anaj or I will have you thrown into the break until you can cool down, is that understood?" Poe's booming voice cut her attention back to reality, biting back in shame at the fleeting thought.

Pacer paled, another man, Wedge, placing a hand onto his shoulder and leaned in to whisper something in his ear Sola couldn't make out. She doubted Poe could either. 

There was a tense second where both mechanic and Commander thought Agoyo would retaliate, but whatever the older man had said to him must've had an impact, his anger dissipating.

"Well?" Poe turned to the ex-imperial woman next, her blood streaked face meeting his own. The sight made Sola keep her eyes locked on the Commanders instead for now.

"It's possible I killed his brother" She admitted coolly, "But I don't remember" the large woman straightened to her full height, almost two meters when Sola spared her a small glance over her shoulder. She was tall.

With a voice flat and unforgiving she stated to everyone around the room; "It's possible that I killed all of your brothers, and cousins, and mothers and fathers, and former lovers" The more she went on the paler Sola became, "it was my job".

"Then why are you here?" Poe asked with a calm voice, curious but deadly serious.

"Because it was wrong" Teesa said simply, "but I didn't know it at the time".

Somehow that statement reminded her of Finn, and of all the Stormtroopers dead on Takodana. Brainwashed, like her Sister.

"You were young and ambitious, so you joined the Empire" 

A startled nod came from the tall woman "Mostly hungry. But yes"

"You joined the Empire" Poe's eyes roamed the room, crossing each face including Sola's where he lingered a moment longer than the rest before resting on Wedge who still stood behind the young pilot Agoyo. "Just like you".

Wedge blinked, but did not hesitate to speak "It's no secret, I attended Skystrike Academy. But I left once I realised what the Empire was doing" Poe gave him a knowing nod that told the young mechanic he had already known this information, perhaps respected the older man more because of it, before he turned to another woman in the crowd Sola did not recognise.

"And your mother?"

"My mother was an Imperial Officer" she replied quietly "But she defected, her and my father, they died for the Resistance. Ask Leia, she knows" 

"Suralinda" Poe called raising his voice slightly. 

The addressed female was sitting on a far bench watching the scene from a distance with glittering eyes, "I didn't give a care about either side much" she admitted "I was ready to sell Resistance secrets if it would get me what I wanted. Oh wait, I did" she laughed and Sola couldn't help but clench her hands in annoyance. 

What was someone like that doing with them? She'd heard her mentioned at a briefing with Leia, that she had accompanied Poe on missions with Black Squadron. But since when had Poe bothered to trust people like her?!

"Relax. I came around" Sura caught the shocked faces around the room, chuckling with her words.

Poe smiled tightly but did not argue.

"And you?" Finally he moved to Finn who'd been idling in the background next to Rey. Sola hadn't even noticed he was amongst them. 

Finn stepped forward immediately "Used to be a Stormtrooper, but now I'm Rebel Scum!" He sounded proud as he pressed a fist over his heart "Until the end" and the mechanic who had grown to love and appreciate him as a friend let a small smile twitch at her lips at the sight. 

"My point" Poe said firmly, turning back to Agoyo. Clearly he had been making it throughout all this, and Sola caught on. 

"Is that many of us have dubious beginnings" He was right with that, "But it is how we end, that counts".

"My father was Darth Vader" Leia's pitched voice rang clearly from the room, she had stood further back from them all, watching silently up until now, "Is there anyone who wants to question my loyalty to the Resistance?".

Poe gave her a nod in thanks that was returned, before the General stepped back again.

"Now, is there anyone else with a grudge that needs airing, something that's bothering them, someone in this room that they can't wait to knife once their back is turned!?" 

That resulted in a few small laughs, ones which Poe seemed to have meant to cause with a small twitch at his lips that told Sola he wasn't angered at the response.

When no one spoke, the tension easing. A new voice called out from the crowd, an old Rebel pilot.

"I got a question!"

She caught the way Poe bit his bottom lip to keep in a curse and stifled the smirk that threatened to make itself known on her lips.

"Go on"

The veteran pointed a finger to Poe, "What about you?" 

"What about me?" 

"I heard the stories." the older man said, Sola stiffened, unsure what would be next but dreading the flood of emotions that would inevitably consume Poe in some way. Even if he wouldn't show it.

"About what happened on the Raddus. To Holdo" he meant the Resistance Cruiser they'd made their escape on from D'Qar to Crait, where Poe had mutinied.

The man thumped his chest "I fought with Holdo she was a good Leader".

The mechanic really wished he hadn't brought it up like this, from the look on Poe's face the glimmer in his eyes fading just a tad. She knew he felt a lot of guilt and regret for his actions, it was probably tearing him apart inside. He was flexing his knuckles and staring hard, in clear thought.

Sola decided to speak up, even while anxiety had her voice flutter on the verge of a stutter, "We've all made mistakes-" the old man barely managed to glance at her along with the others.

After a long exhale, Poe cut her off "I agree" and Sola clamped her mouth shut sharply, regretting ever opening it.

"You agree?" The veteran sneered hands on his hips, "That's not what I heard Poe Dameron. That's not what any of us heard" he gestured to the pilots around him, including Wedge, and an older woman at his side who looked eerily like Snap. Snap who was standing to Wedge's right and looked a little flushed now.

"You're the one who should be in the Break. Or better yet, tossed out of an airlock" 

The veteran pilots words made anger flare in Sola's veins, her eyes shifting from nervous to hard and protective. Yes, Poe had made a grave mistake that had cost lives. But he had risked his own everyday as part of the Resistance, had given so much of his life away to the cause. Was he not as human as they all were? Was he not allowed to atone for his mistakes? Wasn't that part of what set them apart from the First Order?!

She was on the verge of raising her voice to the old Rebel while others grunted and murmured in approval around them. When Poe spoke up again, louder this time.

"You're right, you're absolutely right. I disobeyed a direct order, I got people killed. I undermined my Commander and led a mutiny and if you don't think that eats me up, that it haunts me every day, every minute. Then you don't know a damn thing!" 

Others muttered, and all Sola wanted to do was hug Poe. He looked strong as he spoke, but also hurt, struggling, regretful. She knew she couldn't take that for him, it was his own to purge in whatever way he saw fit.

"And yeah, you could lock me up, throw me into space. But you tell me how that helps the Resistance, how that brings down the First Order. Because trust me, if I thought my death would bring them down-" She didn't want to hear the end of that sentence and tore her eyes away to stare at the dark floor at her feet, "I'd sacrifice myself in a heartbeat!" Sola wished she didn't agree if she were in his situation, even apart from it, she would give her life to the Resistance if it would help. But she never wanted Poe to give his.

Poe snapped his fingers.

"Poe" Finn said shaking his head. 

The Commander was going to tell him off, his facial expression revealing the intent as he glanced to Finn, but Jess stepped forward quickly.

"Poe's my squad Leader and I trust him with my life. There's no one else I want leading Black Squadron" She spoke gently but passionately.

"He saved our butts over Grail city just a few days ago" Kare Kun added.

"And he saved mine on Jakku" Finn said.

"And mine on Crait" someone shouted from the crowd.

"And mine, countless times" Sola felt the need to agree loudly, smiling slowly up at Poe with a determined frown.

"And mine" Came another voice, until testimonies spouted from every corner and morphed into a mighty force. 

Poe bowed his head, clearly overwhelmed. This time Sola did move, walking until she stood at his side and took his hand firmly, she couldn't care less of what people might think at the sight, only that Dameron knew that she was there, that they all were. And even if he could not yet forgive himself, they supported him still. 

Once the decelerations died down, and a calm settled, he looked up again. Scanning the faces in the crowd starting with Sola on his right. Stopping to smile at Finn, and nod to Wedge.

"We've all made choices. Choices that caused harm, lead to destruction. Even at times, death. We're all responsible for our deeds. The great and the terrible. But if we define ourselves only by what we've done, only by our failures then this Resistance, this Spark, it dies, here and now".

She couldn't help but to grin at the side of his stubble strewn chin in adoration as he waited a moment for anyone to interrupt "Keep going" Sola whispered in encouragement until he continued again.

"We're all here because we have a chance to change things, a chance to change the Galaxy. A chance to change ourselves, but we have to make that commitment. That choice. A choice" Poe hesitated, fumbling a little looking around.

"A choice to be better" A young girl Zae spoke, the youngest among them all, eyes shining with conviction. 

The Commanding Pilot placed his free left first over his heart "A choice to be better" he repeated gladly.

Nods and smiles of agreement followed instantly, Sola giving his hand another strong squeeze he returned this time. A joke from Wedge was made that caused several people to laugh, and with the tension gone the crowd dissipated, people returning to their duties and going off to get food and drinks. Sola dropped his hand, he didn't need it anymore, and that was okay.

"Thanks for the assist" Poe had approached the young girl who had spoken up to finish his speech for him with a small smile, a blush graced the girls cheeks.

"I didn't mean to interrupt, it just...felt right, what you said" She said shyly.

"No. I appreciate it" Poe grinned and ran a hand through his hair "I was losing my way out there".

She shrugged "You were doing okay".

"Your parents were pilots?" He asked, and Sola walked up behind him quietly not to interrupt. 

"Yeah, my dad was more of an engineer, but mom. Mom loved to fly" 

Poe grinned, and Sola remembered they had that in common, "Mine too"

"Cool"

Leia's voice caught his attention from behind them "Commander".

"Gotta go" He hurried off to Leia who had gathered a small group to be the new Leadership for the Resistance, talking amongst each other while Sola occupied herself with trying to rid her hands of the brown oil stains that had gathered there from cleaning BB-8 earlier.

"You should freshen up, you smell worse than BB-8" The blond spoke up quietly to Poe once the others around him had left to leave him standing alone, making him turn his head to her in surprise. 

He hadn't heard her approach, she could be very stealthy when she wanted to be. "So should you" a chuckle made her frown up at him, unsure but offended at his statement.

"W-What?!"

"Got oil and grease all over you" The pilot clarified with an amused look as he took in her face. Several streaks of dark oil, and polish painting her skin. Her wounds had healed well since Crait, almost fully besides the one cut across her collar which had scarred and was poking out from under her cream coloured shirt below his jacket she wore.

"Kriff-" Panicked at her state, the blond began wiping at her face with the backs of her hands, praying she was getting the dirt off before anyone else caught the sight of her. What a great first impression.

Poe could only laugh again, shaking his head before he pulled a piece of cloth from his pocket and pushed her hands away from her face to do it himself. It only took a few gentle wipes for someone who could actually see the dirt.

Sola stared up as he cleaned her up silently, taking in his gaze which was focused on his task. Slightly creased eyebrows, pursed lips and eyes hard on where he was running the cloth in his hands. He looked gorgeous as ever, she couldn't help but to swoon and let out a breath through her nose. A small embarrassed blush spreading over her cheeks after she finally released how childish this might look to someone watching.

"I-I can do it-"

"I got it, all done" Poe finished before she could stop him, with the last streak from her forehead cleaned away he pulled away and gave a satisfied nod at his work. She looked all clear again, and just as pretty as always. At least in his opinion. 

"Thanks..." Eyes on the floor, she hesitated looking up again all of a sudden. Worried she'd catch a glimpse of someone behind him watching or judging them. 

Poe seemed oblivious, or simply didn't care when he leaned his upper body forward to get to her eye-level, one hand on his hip, the other lifting to raise her chin gently with the push of one of his fingers "What's wrong?" The pilot questioned, one eyebrow raised but smile not yet falling. 

The glance that was given just beyond his shoulder behind him told Poe everything he wanted to know, and he let out a small sigh paired with a chuckle. That she would even worry about such a thing, it was beyond him. Trivial really.

Taking a step in her space, the pilots hands wrapped around her and pulled the smaller mechanic against him gently. Allowing her a second to pull away if she wished before tightening his arms and resting his chin atop her blond head. "Don't worry about any of that" he mumbled, glad when she hugged him back just as tightly.

"I missed you" Sola confessed truthfully aloud after a moment to calm and gather her thoughts. The smell of his cockpit, engine fuel and a hint of sweat filled her senses and she felt at home again wrapped in his embrace, smiling to herself.

"I know" Poe might not show it, but he'd missed her just as much.

Once they broke apart, Poe lead her over to Jess to help with repairs before he was called away on more important business with a smile on his face Sola mirrored even after he disappeared out of the hanger.

The dark skies of Ryloth that night were almost unnerving. It was awfully, dreadfully quiet that night. The sound of wind barely audible, and even for a busy landing station and secret base hidden within a mountainside. It was quiet. And Sola didn't like it, it was making her feel uneasy. Like the calm before a storm, and after the days busy events and happy occasions of the squadrons returns. It felt like it didn't belong.

Wrapping a thin blanket around her shoulders the blond mechanic, tired but restless, wondered out of her bunk and down the empty caves. She passed only a couple of late workers who nodded to her with a faint smile as she passed nervously. She probably looked a little ridiculous clad in a night shirt, loose pants and a blanket as she tracked through the space in her bare feet in the dead of night. In her tired state however, she couldn't get herself to care too much as she made her way up the rough hand carved red stone steps and to a small opening in the canyon that looked out into the desert.

"Can't sleep?" Who she hadn't expected to see on her way, was Poe. He was sitting by the small platform, one leg raised to drape his arm over it. He turned his head at her voice, eyebrow raised curiously at her own appearance. "How was dinner with the Ambassador and Leia?.

"Looks like I'm not the only one, and good" He mused flashing her a small half grin before turning back to the scenery while she moved to settle herself down into the space beside him quietly.

The ground was hard, cold compared to the comfort of the bed she had just chosen to abandon. But with Poe's shoulder grazing her own, and the blanket blocking out some of the gusts of wind, it wasn't so bad really. 

They said nothing for a while. Peering out into the night of the Ryloth desert plane together, taking in the cliffs, rocks, desert plants and a few of the native wildlife which scurried around in the far distance. With the moons so dim that night, no matter how hard Sola tried she couldn't quite make out the whole of Poe's side profile when she turned her head to stare at him absentmindedly.

She hadn't even realised she was doing it until his deep gravity voice called her out on it "Admiring the view?" Poe teased, making her blush instantly and look away again.

How the hell was she supposed to respond to that?! Yes. Just admiring your godly face, trying to figure out if you're thinking as much about me, as I do about you?! 

Preposterous.

Instead of the whole truth the mechanic tucked a strand piece of her loose blond hair behind her ear and gave a small shrug, looking down at her lap to tuck the grey blanket tighter against her frame, "I was just...thinking about things" A half truth.

"Things?" The dark haired pilot hummed intrigued "Like what?".

"Us" That sounded a little too specific and she quickly cleared her throat before continuing "The Resistance".   
He didn't say anything to that, listening silently with another hum to acknowledge her words, waiting for any further elaboration.

"Did Leia tell you about the First Order showing up on Ryloth?" Sola asked quietly, like she wish she didn't have to ask in the first place.

"Yeah" Poe took a beat to let out a small sigh "We probably barely have a few weeks here, and that's if we're lucky".

"That's not a lot of time..." 

"No, it's not" He was chewing on his bottom lip, eyes still on her but not quite watching her. His eyes were unfocused, somewhere else. Probably thinking of many of the same things going on in her head, Sola wished she could pick apart his thoughts right then. Qualm his worries somehow, impossibly.

Poe looked...guilty almost. From what she could make out at a glance.

"It's not your fault"

"No, but the mutiny-" he cut himself off, hand running through his hair in frustration of his own past action. Guilt hung from his words but Sola waited before saying anymore. He needed to let this out.

"It was my fault we lost so many people in those transports, on Crait" The Commander sighed deeply, averting his eyes to stare down into the mountainside which faded off from a dull red into utter blackness below their feet. 

"You didn't know" She wasn't making an excuse for him, he'd made his choice, the wrong choice. But Poe had good intentions, always. He just needed to learn to act with more...thought, sometimes. 

"No. But I should've been smarter, better, I should've trusted the Admiral. Because of me all those people-" Pained, he sounded pained slouching at her side, his head hung low as if he was folding in on himself and Sola couldn't help but to reach for his hand in the darkness. Fumbling across the dirty ground until she finally came across it and placed her own over it gently. He didn't pull away.

Seeing him vulnerable, regretting his actions and letting his fears out to her like this. It reminded the blond at his side just how human Poe Dameron really was. He was just like her, like any of them. His actions had consequences, and even if he always gave his all and did it for the right reasons, Poe was not perfect. He too made mistakes.

"Unfortunately. There isn't much we can do about our past actions now" Her words encompassed more than just his mistakes on the Cruiser and on Crait, more than any mission they had gone on together. She was speaking about everything they'd done that had led them to this point, and the idea of the past being set in stone. The echo of her speech on Dantooine resonated in his mind, 'focus on that which you can control', and Poe smiled to himself just a little.

"I'm gonna make it better" Her hand squeezed his own as he spoke "Somehow, I'm gonna do everything I can to rebuild the Resistance" Poe sounded determined, ruthlessly so and the tone of his voice was hard again, "I don't care what it takes, or how long it takes".

"As long as you don't end up dead in the process" Sola interjected his passionate speech reluctantly to slip in her opinion, head tilting in his direction.

He gave a small chuckle in reply, shuffling back just a inch to he leaned his head on her shoulder and lifted his hand away from under her own to drape it loosely around her shoulder and keep her close. For a second, the mechanic stiffened, surprised, but didn't even think of pulling away from his radiating warmth. Poe Dameron was like a radiator at her side.

"You know I can't promise that" 

His words made her heart clench, tears forming in her vision for a split second before she forced them back down deep inside her. Burying them under layers of self control and hope. Hope most of all.  
"I...I know..." Because how could he ever promise that? He was a pilot in a war for the good of the Galaxy, he could die on any mission, in any battle in his Starfighter even if he fought with every fibre of his being. No one could control death, not really.

The idea, the mere notion of Poe's death made Sola's heart race. Dread coiling its way around her lungs until she was breathing heavier and needed to force herself to calm down again in case the pilot leaning on her took notice. A world without Poe Dameron in it was not one she wanted to imagine, nor live in. 

"Can...Can you give me a lesson" Shifting the topic, Sola hesitated to ask but pushed herself to, for him. Ultimately she was asking for him. "You said you'd teach me how to fly sometime. I-If you still want to-"

"I'd love to" Poe cut her off, nuzzling his cheek against her shoulder to get more comfortable. 

"But why?" Besides her obvious interest in the ships themselves, she'd never quite said why exactly she wanted to learn how to fly.

"At first, I wanted to learn for me and Grace. So that we could go anywhere, see everything the Galaxy had to offer" Her voice grew solemn, Gracie was dead now and that reason didn't matter so much anymore.

"But now, for the Resistance, for myself-" She took a moment to swallow down the nerves of her confession "For you"

"For me?" He turned his head up at her, obviously confused. Poe had never asked her to fly for him, would never force it on anybody.

"I want to see why you love it so much, and if I can-if I'm ever good enough. Fly for the Resistance fleet to have your back, protect you, keep you safe, alive" The more she said the more ridiculous she thought she sounded, keeping her eyes pinned to the horizon to avoid his stare as she grew embarrassed. 

"I know that sounds childish and-"

"It's sweet" Poe cut her off once more, grinning just a little before he sat up and let her go. The loss of his body left her shivering for a second.

Sola wasn't quite sure what he was thinking, but she could definitely feel his gaze lingering on her. She dared not turn her head to find out in fear of showing her burning face or reveal the fidgeting of her hands in the blanket.

"Look at me" 

Stiffening, she refused without words, blinking rapidly before looking down at her lap. No, no, she could not do that right now.

"Please, Sweetheart"

Two words when paired, enough to break any wall of anxiety in her path and snap her face around to meet his without hesitation. Sola was met with a wide, soft smile, barely made out in the dark but evident as his whole face morphed around to accommodate it.

"You don't have to worry about me. I have my Squadron, Snap, Jess, Kare, BB-8" 

She didn't respond, just stared, the slightest downturn of her eyebrow giving away her concern.

"I-I know I'm sor-"

"But I'll still teach you" He concluded firmly, a hand reaching out to stroke along her cheek ever so slightly, a hot trail left under his touch. The action sent tingles all the way to her fingertips. "If it'll help, and we need all the pilots we can get right now. Even clumsy ones" Poe teased only to cause Sola to roll her eyes but keep any argument to herself for now.

"I might be terrible at it"

"I doubt that" 

With that Sola had planned to argue, however as soon as Poe leaned closer to push his lips against her own softly. Any words of protest died on her tongue, turned into smouldering ash until the only thought in her mind was of how much she'd missed kissing Poe Dameron. And on how much she wished the moment between them would never end. 

For the longest minute, the desert faded and it was just them again, and the sweet hot burning warmth which spread through her starting from his lips. Sola would happily drown in his kisses.

"Poe?"

So caught up in their kissing, Poe hardly picked up on her breathy vocalisation of his name. One hand still on her cheek while his other had sneaked its way under her blanket and was caressing her waist.

"Hmh?" He hummed against her lips, pulling away just enough to let his lips linger over her own. Both of their breaths had grown rugged and uneven, Poe smiled at the realisation before he opened his eyes to look at her. 

Sola looked...unsure, almost. He wasn't sure what had made her feel that way, but he sincerely hoped it wasn't the kiss, hoped he hadn't overstepped her boundaries. "What is it?" He voiced the concern aloud after a beat, letting his hand push a stray hair from her forehead that had fallen forward with the angle her head had tilted back at when they were kissing.

How to word this, how to voice this. Sola wasn't completely sure she could word it properly no matter how much she pondered and debated on it. So she asked in the most simplest way she could,

"What- Why, why do you kiss me? Why do you want to?" She corrected herself twice within her sentence, quickly averting her eyes to stare off to the side to gather herself and her racing thoughts. She'd wondered this very thing from the first time the Commander had ever asked- ever kissed her. She remembered how he called her beautiful of course, replayed that memory in her head over and over some evenings until she fell asleep smiling. But it didn't offer her the answers she was so desperately seeking by now, it didn't reveal to her the intent behind his actions. She had no idea what Poe Dameron felt about her, and she somehow dreaded to know the answer. 

Could it be worse than the endless daunting possibilities she'd come up with in her mind? Probably.

A small pressure from his hand on her face shifted her face gently towards him and up, forcing her eyes back on his own as he analysed her words for an answer he prayed she wanted to hear. 

Was Poe completely sure himself why? No, but he could see the doubt creeping up in her every time they had gotten close and he hoped so desperately he could replace it with comfort and reassurance until there was none left. 

"I know I don't deserve it, after what I did, the choices I made" He said, sounding still understandably guilty about his past actions against Admiral Holdo.

"But I want to kiss you every time I see you" Poe confessed, voice smooth like marble. It reminded her of the feeling of water flowing down a small steady stream, like the ones they'd walked by on Dantooine.

His answer was surprising, but didn't answer her question completely a small frown creasing her light brows and making her nose scrunch up adorably for a moment. He caught it, and continued after a small breathy chuckle.

"I like you" 

Confused, that anyone could like her enough to want to kiss her like Poe kissed her, Sola looked around his face for any sign of a lie. There was none and her heart picked up its speed in her chest.

"Like...me?" Sola mumbled, barely audible past the soft gusts of wind gracing against their side "Like a friend?" It felt downright juvenile to ask such a thing, the sound of her own words making her cringe inwardly. But she needed to ask, it felt like nothing else mattered than knowing.

"Do you want me to like you like a friend?" Poe silently agreed that what she was asking had been nagging at him too, even if the way she had worded it made her sound ten years younger than she was. He wondered if she'd ever been with anybody- if her never having kissed anybody before himself was anything to go by, the answer was no. 

His expression softened further. She was new to this.

In her mind, her first response was 'yes', because she cherished their friendship, all of her friendships like the greatest treasure in the Universe. Would sacrifice her life for each and every one. But reading further into the implications, specifically the ones with Poe, she hesitated. Unless Poe kissed all of his friends like this, she felt the word 'friend' did not quite suit the relationship that had formed between them.

But would he agree? Disagree? What if he simply wanted to kiss her and thought nothing else of it?! She certainly wouldn't blame him if that was the case.

Sola barely managed to shake her head at him, gulping and exhaling a shaky breath. She was tempted to lick over her drying lips, but feared her tongue might knock against his mouth by accident in their close proximity. A result that didn't sound all that terrible, but she also didn't want break the intensity of his attention on her right now. As nervous as she was.

"Then what do you want?" 

Poe's question hit her like a Star Destroyer, catching the air in her throat and widening her eyes just a tad. She thought for a second she might break down and sob. Become reduced to an ugly mess of tears and hoarse cries that would threaten to wake the rest of the base.

No one had ever really asked her what she wanted, not like this. What did Sola Naberrie want? The answer was clear in an instant.

"You" She confessed and Poe grinned so brightly she couldn't help the own smile spreading over her face. 

A good sign that made relief worm its way up her body slowly.

"Me?" The pilot teased, unable to help himself even in the seriousness of the situation.

"Poe" She rolled her eyes at him, trying to stay serious in what she was admitting so she couldn't back out once her brain caught up to her actions again.

But did Poe want her?

The Commander simply chuckled before his eyes snapped to the small archway in the mountain side to address the new presence that had joined them in surprise "Finn?".

Straightening, practically jumping apart from him Sola turned her eyes towards the opening beside them to stare up at Finn. The man looked just as stunned to find them as they were to see him out here.

"Was I...interrupting something?" He mused one hand bashfully rubbing his neck as he looked from Sola back to Poe.

"N-No!" Sola spoke up before Poe could say anything, "Nothing, nothing" far too scared at what might come out of the pilot's mouth after her embarrassingly intimate confession she had just voiced to him seconds ago. Panic rose and she stumbled to her feet, blanket falling from her shoulders and into her arms where she clutched it tightly.

"I-I should go, it's late" Early, even. "Goodnight..." Probably three or four in the morning already but that fact didn't quite matter as Sola avoided all eye-contact with either men as she brushed past Finn and down the tunnel with rushed and hurried strides. 

Stars, Sola needed to tell Rose about this, and Lizzy once she came back from her long mission in the Outer Rim.


	26. Resistance Reborn: Pt. 4: Shoe Sizes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to get up and get undercover. But as Poe's Fiancé?! WACK.

"Wait, wait. So you and Poe-" Rose tried again, still trying to piece together her friends words.

It was the early morning. Sola had decided to get up particularly early alongside Rose, both of them getting dressed and putting up their hair out of their faces in preparation to attend to the several ships and droids that needed maintenance. 

"I don't know! I-I just..." The blond sighed loudly, dropping her head back letting her hair fall loose in the process, too focused on the discussion at hand to care much about tying it up for the moment.

"But you said-" Rose turned her head to her, eyebrows raised expectantly.

"I know! But I don't want to assume either. He never replied, just...smiled, it could mean anything!" Another groan left her, lifting her head again to stare at the small metal mirror as she gathered up her blond hair into one hand and finally managed to tie it up in a messy pointy tail before glancing at the smaller woman to her side. 

"Well, that's definitely something" Rose said thoughtfully. 

"I-I hope so, but...what if it isn't anything, what if I'm just assuming totally wrong?!" 

Rose held back a chuckle and rolled her eyes "I doubt it, from what you described, it sounds pretty positive to me" even with her limited experience in the matter the black haired girl liked to believe she knew Poe enough to know the Commander wasn't one to be cruel or hide anything this important from the people he cared about. Duty to the Resistance or not, Dameron was a brash and honest man.

Sola sobered up, irritation and frustration turning to a dull doubt that would probably accompany her for the rest of her life in many aspects, "What if he hates me-"

"Commander Dameron does not ha-"

"No I mean" She cut off Rose sharply, eyes downcast for a moment "What if he ends up hating me, despising me, not wanting me in his company, in the Resistance even...?"

It was Rose's turn to frown deeply, placing a hand on the blond's shoulder and lean in a little closer to show how serious she was being "Sola. No one could hate you, Poe least of all"

"People can and have definitely hated me" Her father, Gracie being the first that came to her mind. The two people who should have loved her unconditionally had ended up with nothing but disdain for her. What if Poe left her too? She feared the attachment she'd developed to him, the need to see him tugging at her daily at this point.

"They aren't Poe, and they aren't me or Finn, or anyone else in the Resistance either" Rose assured her sympathetically "You have to give this a chance, whatever it turns out being. I know it can be scary and daunting, but it'll be worth it. Right?"

Sola spared her a glance, the smallest of smiles giving away that the words had given her some comfort "Poe is worth it..." She agreed making Rose grin back at her.

"Exactly, and if he ends up hurting you I'm sure Lizzy, Finn and I can knock some sense into him" 

At the image of her three friends standing up against the Commander, Sola laughed slowly and shook her head. She never thought Poe would do such a thing anyway, but the knowledge that she had her friends for help if anything did go wrong was an immense comfort nonetheless. No one had ever had her back before.

"C'mon, there's machinery that needs fixing. I'll show you how to take care of some X-Wing components too if you like?" Rose stood giving a stretch to her limbs and a small yawn. 

"Really?! I'd love that!" Eager, the mechanic jumped up and followed Rose from their room and down the tunnel towards the hanger. It also meant she'd be able to quiz Rose about her relationship with Finn, she'd caught the way Rose had looked at the man several times in the past, and her stunt on Crait was certainly something that needed addressing sooner rather than later too.

Coronet City, Corellia. It was the planet they needed to head for. One of them at least, at the meeting in the evening between the Leadership of the Resistance, including Rey and Finn, a plan had been accumulated. Three teams were being put together for three separate, equally important tasks.

One, to free the prisoners they had found out the First Order were keeping captive in Coronet City, allies, diplomats and old Rebels who had spoken out against the First Order. Maz Kannada had sent them part of a list she had discovered circling around from the First Order, a list which held the names of several allies they'd tried to contact back on Crait. As well as initials which could be their very own names, including last seen locations. It was a jarring yet relieving thought to know the reason no one had replied to their distress signal was because they were being rounded up and held captive. Wedge would lead this mission, Nora, Snap's mother, at his side, he had been born there on Corellia and knew Coronet City.

Two, retrieve the rest of this mysterious list of names from an auction being held in Coronet City. Maz had informed them one of her old contacts had stolen it from First Order hands and was planning on selling it of to the highest bidder at her Birthday party, invitation only. And they'd managed to bag two. A senator of Ryloth and guest, Charth, and a rich young profiteer from Canto Bight and his two junior business partners. Five people in total for the team lead by Commander Dameron. Even if Poe wasn't too happy himself to dress up in a disguise and play pretend as a rich young man from Canto Bight. 

And three, a team which would be heading to another planet, to Broncha, to seek out the scrapping yards which were used to decommission old X-Wings and Starfighters the First Order despised to see. Hopefully they would be able to retrieve and repair some of the old fighter crafts. Shriv had command of this squadron, which also included the young pilot Pacer Agoyo and Zae as well as a very tall male Sola had been very intimidated by. A rather odd team.

"Y-You what?!" Sola gasped down at Poe atop Jessika's X-Wing, she had been working on one of the wings where Rose had showed her how to fix a faulty engine. 

"I want you to pose as one of my partners on the mission in Coronet City" Poe repeated slowly exasperated that she was staring at him so wide eyed and bewildered. Was it really such a crazy suggestion? 

"A-And you think I'm suitable to do this why?" She shuffled closer to the edge of the ship to look at him better, wiping down her hands on the trousers of her borrowed jumpsuit which was unzipped and tied at her waist. In what universe did Poe believe even considering her for a mission such as this was a good idea?! Sure, she was quiet and light on her feet, could probably blend into crowds better than any of them, but she was never a good actress. An even worse liar. Posing as a partner of any kind in front of probably hundreds of people seemed impossibly important and difficult. 

Poe gave a roll of his eyes, hand running through his curly hair "Because" He began eying her with a hard stare "No one knows you, you're small, light on your feet when it matters. And I trust you".

Sola looked him over again, still very much doubtful but finding no faults in his reasoning "But I'm a kriffing awful liar, Commander, if anyone asks they'll know instantly that I'm clueless about that kind of world" she sighed, leaning her legs over the side of the craft to address him fully.

"Don't worry, no one will be asking. We'll paint you as a newbie or something" Poe shrugged causing another small sigh from the blond hovering above him on the ship.

"Besides, I'll be there, I'll be the one with the ticket. I doubt anyone will want to speak to either of you anyway" 

"Either of us?" Sola questioned tilting her head, he hadn't told her who his other junior business partner would be yet, before she remembered another fact.

"Wait- you trust me?!" 

"Yes, and I need people I can trust and depend on in this" Poe gave her a sure nod without any hesitation, his concrete words warming her heart. 

Poe Dameron trusted her.

"If I say no, will you tell me it's an order?" Sola asked suddenly, teasing hinting at her tone while she occupied her eyes with checking over the ship she had been working on. Even while she bit back a smirk at the chuckle that left Poe, the bravery to see his amusement hadn't gathered quite yet.

"Will I have to?" Commander Dameron's smirk was clear in his voice.

"No" She'd very gladly assist him in this without needing to be ordered to do it, even if the prospect of that sounded pretty attractive if she heard it come from his mouth.

Turns out, Finn was the other man on the team, enthusiastically so. He seemed the most excited out of all them, especially to get off planet again and actually do something. With that Sola had agreed.   
Gathering a bag with a few essentials, the three of them gathered outside of the Millennium Falcon before going off to find to find the Ambassador and whoever he had decided to bring along.

"Hey" Poe spoke, approaching Charth across the hanger to his ship, "I know you said Rey had it under control, but is everything okay, with Rey? That conversation looked serious" He was speaking to Finn as the trio walked together, about something that had happened after Poe had found and talked to Finn inside the Falcon while Sola had waited with her bag outside for them. 

She listened quietly as they spoke.

Finn's brow creased in thought "She's gone to talk to Leia about it, she didn't wanna burden her but I told her Leia needed to know"

"Wow" Poe replied taking ahold of Finn's arm to bring him to a stop. The mechanic stopped with them, keeping herself out of the conversation. "Is there something I should know too? If Leia's in danger-"

"Rey will handle it" Finn cut him off sounding confident and assured, but Poe didn't look convinced. 

Finn started walking again, causing Sola to follow quickly and Poe to double step to catch up with them "What's the plan?" Finn asked the pilot, giving Sola a small glance that told her he was still aware of her presence and wasn't ignoring her on purpose. She appreciated it silently with a smile back at him.

"I hope it's a good one" The mechanic added anxiously, hoping that for whatever trouble they might have in going under cover and acting, they made up for in a good strategy and back up plan.

"The plan is, that we find Charth and his teammate, and then we get our butts down to Coronet City" Poe responded as they tracked forward together. 

"Suralinda?!" Poe sounded as surprised as Sola felt when they discovered who exactly the Twi'Lek Ambassador had chosen to be his partner in this mission. 

"Is that a problem?" Charth asked calmly, dressed to the nines in fine blue, almost royal looking attire fit for someone who was going to show off his status and wealth, "I thought you would appreciate me bringing a member of Black Squadron? I considered my sister, but if something were to happen to us I wouldn't want my father to lose both his children" His father being the current Ryloth leader it seemed.

The strange pilot however, was hardly even a member at all, from the way Suralinda had acted the day previous. Sola still didn't quite trust her.

"Of course, she's a great choice it was just- a surprise. I didn't know you were acquainted" Poe spoke reassuringly to the tension clear on the Twi'leks face which seemed to ease into a smile slowly at the commanders words.

"She is...quite something. Fierce, a warrior, she could almost be a Twi'Lek" Charth retorted.

"High praise. I'm sure she would appreciate that" Poe crossed his arms over his chest, giving a small smile. 

"Appreciate what?" 

They all turned to the voice, Suralinda approaching changed out from her pilot's uniform and into a...dress? Long and bright purple, made of silk trailing at her heels. Sola was silently envious at the sight, she'd never worn nor seen a dress so lavish before.

"Where did you get that?" Poe voiced the inquiry in her head aloud making her glance up at him.

"Yendor gave it to me, there's a whole wing of historical clothing here. Do I look like an Ambassador's girlfriend?" She struck a pose to emphasise her sickly sweet words that made Sola cringe inwardly and hold back a roll of her eyes. One hand on her hips, while the other carried more clothes, suits and a dress on a hanger wrapped in translucent sheeting.

"Nice for some" She complained under her breath in envy. No one seemed to hear it, only Suralinda giving her a small gleaming look.

"I was thinking you would be my atage?" Charth murmured, sounding embarrassed.

"Oh" Suralinda shrugged unconcerned, "Whatever works, as long as I get to wear the dress" She dragged the hangers with the clothes over her thin shoulders and slapped them against Poe's chest who took them instinctively.

"Got something for you and Finn too" the woman spoke with a mischievous grin before peering down at the small blond mechanic who stood by Poe's side "And your little mechanic friend"

"Sola" it was barely a whisper, but enough to raise Suralindas's eyebrow just a tad and make Poe turn his head down to her "My name is Sola" she clarified quickly, clearing her throat.

"What are you talking about?" Poe addressed Suralinda again clearly confused "And how did you know Finn and Sola were coming I only just invited them".

"Lucky guess" she hummed back with the grin on her face growing wider "anyway, the clothes from the historical clothing collection are here. Maz said you needed to look dapper, so I brought you dapper".

Poe sniffed at the garments in his arms suspiciously before holding them out at arms length for inspection. Sola peering over his arm to try and get a good look herself. They certainly looked fancy from what she could spy, and wondered if her own dress would be as lavish as the one Suralinda was wearing. Surely not, she certainly couldn't pull of something like that.

"The clothes are not going to hurt you Poe" Suralinda rolled her eyes, and Sola for once would agree with a slight smile. The way Poe was looking at them, was like he was inspecting them for any danger. 

"They're just clothes P- Commander Dameron" Sola corrected herself but gave him a small grin nonetheless.

"I know that" Poe replied defensively "It's just-" 

"We're all set" Finn appeared again, having left them previously to see over preparations. "Connix transmitted the conformations and the money for our buy-ins, we have cover stories too". 

Sola braced herself clenching her jaw.

"You" Finn continued, looking at Poe "Are Lorel Sh'da, notorious weapons dealer who wants that list to free some old brothers in arms who were caught up in the First Order sweeps on your home planet" didn't sound too bad from the way Finn was putting it.

"And me?" Sola dreaded to ask, shoulders tense and hands tight in her pockets to keep them with fumbling with something in her vicinity. 

"You will be his fiancée" Sola almost chocked on her breath, sparing Poe a stunned look which he returned "Merie Sy, she met him through connections with her rich family and their investments. We thought it would be easier than another business partner" Finn explained gleefully before finally coming to his own made up backstory.

"Lovely" the mechanic gave a smaller mutter under her breath. How in stars name was she going to pretend to be a fake man's fiancée?! Poe's no less! She could hardly even hold his hand in public, or hold eye contact for longer than five seconds for that matter.

"What about rings?" Poe asked a very important question there, one that Sola hadn't even registered in her brain. They would need rings of course, it made sense. Though it did surprise her that it would be Poe that remembered that fact. The idea of wearing a ring to symbolise such an intimate relationship, one she could only dream of, made her cheeks warm just a tad.

"I have this one for you, but Connix said that Leia told her you would have a ring on hand for Sola to wear already" Finn, expecting the question, pulled out a plain thick ring, obviously a mans band and handed it to Poe before watching him expectantly.

The Pilot was confused for a long minute, thumbing the ring in his hand before sliding it on as he thought about Finn's words. Why would Leia say that? Why would he just carry a ring- oh.

But he did carry a ring. His mother's ring. 

"Y-You don't have to-" They both seemed to realise at the same time what Leia had meant by her words, Sola's eyes travelling down his torso to where the chain on his neck disappeared behind his shirt. His mother's ring was precious, the most important thing he owned. There was no way she could wear it, the thought of being the one to lose or damage it?! It made her shake her head.

"No, Leia's right" Poe cut her off softly, a hand running down the chain on his neck to pull forth the ring and free it from it's chain. Everyone else remained silent at the two, picking up on the importance of this ring fairly quickly by the way Poe was treating it.

"Poe, it's too important" Sola tried again, shaking her head once more while she pushed away his outstretched hand that was offering her the ring "I'm sure we can find another one somewhere". Doubtful really, they were lucky enough to find one spare one for him, to find another in a military base was highly unlikely.

"Take it, I know you'll keep it safe" The curly haired Commander gave a firm nod in her direction, taking a small step closer and lifting her hand to slide the ring onto her finger himself. Sola opened her mouth to protest, but shut it again once he had slid the ring on. It...fit, only a tad bit tight, but it fit. The strange, alien look of it on her hands taking her off guard, a finger running over the smooth metal to make sure it was real.

Poe thought it suited her and stepped away confident that the mechanic would look after it.

"I am your business partner, Cade Genti, who-" Poe laughed at Finns words which spoke up, interrupting him momentarily.

"Really?! That's your name?" The pilot chuckled.

"You don't like it?" Finn halted.

"It's a bit..." Poe hesitated looking from side to side.

"A bit what?" 

"Cade Genti, Master of section nine" Suralinda exclaimed.

"Who?" Charth asked what Sola had thought to ask herself.

"A program on the entertainment feeds when we were kids, well, when I was a kid at least. That is where you got it right?"

Finn looked sheepish, a hand running over the back of his neck "Connix asked and I had to think fast, I remembered the comics from when I was a kid. FN-1971 would sneak them in, they weren't regulation. And they would've sent us to reprogramming if they'd known. But man they were great" he frowned "do you think anyone else will notice?".

"That your name is the same as a dashing cartoon character from Coruscant?" Suralinda gave a shrug "Who cares? Half the people there will be using aliases. Might as well pick a great one".

Relief passed over his face, but still Finn turned to Poe for confirmation,

"Sure, why not. I'm Lorel- what was the other name?"

"Sh'da, he's a notorious-" Finn was going to list all of his back story out again before Poe cut him off

"Yeah, I got that part" 

"Okay then" Finn checked the crono he wore on his wrist, the same everyone else had been issued on the team for the mission, including Sola.

"We don't have much time before the auction starts, I suggest we head for Coronet City" Poe announced before Suralinda interjected.

"Aren't you going to change your clothes first?" 

"What's this?! We have disguises?" Finn rubbed his hands together gleefully "This mission just gets better and better".

"Historical clothing" She corrected.

"Probably not the most comfortable" Sola added quietly, though hoping it wouldn't dampen Finn's enthusiasm.

"I guessed your sizes so they might not fit perfectly but I think we can make it work" Suralinda took the hangers in their bags from Poe's hands and held them up individually.

"This one is for you" Handing Finn a silver jacket and pants, a little flashy with the way they sparkled and shone.

"And for you" The dress handed to Sola was definitely not as lavish as the one clinging to Suralinda's frame, but it was pretty. It was a deep red with hints of purple sheer fabric and with a low neckline that tied around the back of her neck and would certainly show off her cleavage but still hide the scar in her collarbone. She wondered if Suralinda had picked it because of that reason, or of it had been a lucky coincidence. 

It would reach just the mechanics feet when worn, and would be snug on her waist from the looks of it, a size too small for the blond, but fan out below. It had an embroidered design around the bust gleaming with a couple of hidden gems that would most definitely catch some eyes. At least it wasn't too scandalous.

"And this one is for Poe, I mean, Lorel Sh'da".

Poe took the suit she was holding out from the woman's hands and sliced open the plastic with his thump to reveal a solid gleaming black suit beneath. It included slim pants, a vest, a white buttoned up shirt as well as a red embroidered part Sola couldn't quite make out from her position. But it looked expensive, sleek, it would certainly look good on Poe. She guessed just about anything would look good on Poe.

"No shoes?" Poe asked jokingly.

"Oh, I got all three of you shoes, a few to choose from in the back. But you really didn't want me guessing your shoe size" the meaning behind that teasing tone in the woman's voice made Sola hold back a snort and stifle a laugh under her hand.

"We should go" Charth said "Time is passing quickly".

Poe gave a nod, sliding his tuxedo back into his plastic cover. Finn looked disappointed, "Don't worry, we can dress on the way to Corellia".

"It's not that. It's just, I got arrested at the last fancy party I was at" well that was unexpected news, Sola would never have guessed Finn had ever attended any parties before. 

"Really?" Suralinda sounded impressed only for Finn to shrug, "well, this may be fun after all".

"Oh we'll have fun, if it's the last thing we do" Finn grinned back.

"There's the spirit" the tall woman sounded delighted, "this might get us killed, but at least we go out in a blaze of glory"

"I just hope we don't go out until the mission is a success" Sola retorted sarcastically, giving her dress another once over before zipping up the bag and running a hand through her hair nervously.

"How about we don't go out at all" Poe said, voice a little sharp.

"Live free, die young" Suralinda spoke without a hint of concern or worry, "like heroes in a story".

"Or don't die at all" Sola mused back quietly.

After a moment of silence, Poe finally responded "Let's just try to stay alive".

"Sometimes death comes for you" The Twi'Lek man said with his dark eyes on Poe "No matter how hard you try".


	27. Resistance Reborn: Pt. 5: Oceans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where our little mechanic from Tatooine sees an Ocean for the first time and it steals her breath away, but not more so than Poe in a black suit.

As it turns out, while they were racing through hyperspace aboard a transport, that changing into her new attire, Sola had encountered a few difficulties. For one, she'd never worn such a big complex dress before, struggling to get it on over her head without drowning in the silk fabric. And when it finally did fold over her in soft layers, she ultimately had to ask Suralinda for help to zip it up in the back and make sure it sat properly at all angles. It felt tight, a little suffocating even, but as long as she kept her back straight and breathed in it would be bearable, though she had no idea how people worse these every day.

The woman had merely laughed at the request when Sola had called her timidly from the room she was changing in, before rolling her eyes and coming to her aid with a smug grin that told her she might've seen this coming when she had picked out the dress back on Ryloth.

"Have you even ever worn anything beyond those old rugged jumpsuits before?!" Suralinda was watching from the corner of the room while Sola was struggling with trying to put her hair up in anyway that looked elegant. She was failing miserably at it.

"A little but.." Pants and t-shirts issued by the Resistance on D'Qar weren't exactly much better than her trusted mustard mechanic's jumpsuit, hardly worth mentioning really.

"Here" Suralinda let out a sigh at the pitiful sight before her eyes, getting up and walking to stand behind the blond while she contemplated on what to do with the mass of hair at her disposal.

"I-I can do it!" Sola argued only to be hushed quickly, her hands slapped away by the taller woman behind her while she tried again unsuccessfully to tend to her blond strands.

"Clearly not" She grumbled finally deciding on a loose up do that looked expertly like a mix of something someone had both spent hours on, and also put up in a matter of seconds. The messy bun losing long strands around her face to frame it before the woman turned the blond mechanic towards her on the chair to examine her face.

"What?" Sola stared back, confused at why she was being stared at so intently, did she have something on her face?

"You need makeup"

"I don't think that-"

"All of the rich wear make up" Suralinda insisted firmly, reaching to a small compartment at the desk they sat to pull out a bag with the cosmetic items. Had she brought those on board herself?! Sola was surprised she hadn't even bothered to check. "You'll blend in much better if you look...expensive" the woman mused as she began applying some light concealer with a brush to brighten up the blonds face.

"Fine..." If it helped her cover, she wouldn't argue. Silently glad she herself hadn't been left to try and put it on, Sola had never worn make up before. Besides the time Lizzy had once forced an impromptu 2am make over on her on D'Qar one night.

"Red is your colour" Suralinda mused as she worked, expertly applying some blush over Sola's cheeks and nose until she picked up a smaller one to start with eyeshadow. 

Sola didn't want to think too hard on that observation. Recently red had reminded her of darker things.

"Eyes shut" Suralinda commanded, the mechanic responding instantly with what she was told.

"And I would know, I picked it out" She sounded self-satisfied with her choice, a lull in her voice giving away the smug grin probably plastered on her skin as she set a combination of red, brown and black eyeshadow down on the smaller woman's lids.

"Do you- do you have any advice, on how to act?" Sola asked quietly, hoping that this woman in front of her had more experience on being around wealthier people than she did "around all those rich people and business men" she clarified quickly.

"You'll be acting like the fiancée of a rich man" Suralinda began lull in her voice, now applying a thick even coat of mascara onto Sola's eyes "act like that, like you're infatuated with him and whatever he says and does, laugh at his jokes, at everybody's jokes, they love that" she mused with a small laugh that made Sola smile a little, easing up on her nerves as she felt the cold of black eyeliner fly over her eyelids swiftly. "A lot of people think that the woman of the rich are dumb and weak, use that to your advantage"

Sola peeked an eye open to try and see the expression on the other woman's face "Shut" but a single word from Suralinda quickly made her close it again.

"I don't believe that'll be a problem for you though, acting dumb, or in love" 

"What...what do you mean by that?!" Sola took no offence to the dumb part really, she knew she wasn't stupid and guessed Suralinda meant that anyone could act that way. 

But in love?! What the hell was that supposed to mean?! Sola toyed nervously with the ring on her finger.

"I see the way you look at Poe Dameron, I'm not blind. Keep your lips still" 

Sola was ready to argue, defend herself but once she felt something glide over her lips she stilled and waited. Lipstick probably, and some sort of sticky gloss on top. A small spray of something that smelled faintly of honey fanned over her face and collar before finally Suralinda stood.

"All done" She mused, proud of her work while Sola opened her eyes and turned towards the mirror.

She...she didn't look like herself, didn't recognise any of her face. Red lips, dark framed eyes, and blushed cheeks. Her skin looked smooth, healthier than she'd ever seen it before. Everything was-

"Beautiful" it wasn't the word Sola had thought of "now make sure not to touch your face otherwise it'll end up smudging, that was a lot of work" Suralinda was peering at her over her shoulder, giving her another once over before she headed for the door.

"Thank you" Sola turned in her seat, taring her eyes away from the small mirror to face her. "Seriously, thank you" Suralinda had no obligation to help her, Sola definitely couldn't have forced her either. So to have been given this amazing help out of the goodness of her heart, even if it was just for the mission. The mechanic appreciated it wholeheartedly. Maybe this strange woman wasn't so bad.

Suralinda said nothing else, giving her instead small nod before she was out the door to leave Sola to put on her heels by herself. They weren't too big, thank the force, just enough to give her a couple of extra inches to make her look a little taller than she actually was.

"We're entering Corellian orbital space" Suralinda announced once Sola had found the courage to exit the small storage room in the ship to sit in the main compartment with the woman. Poe hadn't seen her yet, gone off to help Finn with his clothes and tie once he was finished and it unnerved her the longer she sat there. Waiting. She was dreading the look on the Commanders face when he inevitably saw her, would he look disappointed? Shocked? Or perhaps...something else.

"If you three are here, who's flying this thing?" A voice, Finn's, broke the silence as Suralinda, Charth and Sola stood by the doors of the craft, heads lifting at Poe and Finn's approached.

"We're on the tractor-beam now" Charth explained. But Sola wasn't listening anymore, as soon as Poe had rounded the corner her wide eyes had zoned in on him, taking in every minute detail. The suit fit him perfectly, expensive, dark like his curls which seemed to be shining more than usual from some sort of...oil? Maybe. Hell, he even smelled expensive when he came to stop in front of them with Finn at his side. 

He looked breathtaking, she couldn't help but stare. And she was sure he was staring too, when Finn had to nudge his side to get his attention.

"Expect we'll encounter First Order security of some kind" the Twi'Leks voice was filling her head again and she snapped her eyes away once she noticed Poe had caught her staring. An embarrassed blush spreading over her face.

"No turning back now" Suralinda had leaned forward to meet Finn's gaze, arms crossed over her chest.

"Not a consideration" Finn replied playing with something on his tie.

"You look...good" Poe cleared his throat finally, obviously addressing Sola as he gave her an impressed almost nervous once over. She flushed further.

"S-So do you" She looked up at Finn catching a small knowing smile on his face "you both" she added quickly, Finn too had cleaned up nicely in his silvery suit and tie. 

The ship around them shook lightly as it set onto solid ground causing them all to sway. Suralinda braced onto Poe's arm who steadied her on her feet quickly. 

The sight made a pang of jealousy shoot through the mechanic before she pushed it aside. Why in stars name was she jealous at that?!

"Careful out there black Leader" her voice was almost sad as Suralinda spoke to Poe.

Once the door opened, Coronet City greeted them proudly. Poe taking Sola's arm unexpectedly as they exited out "You're supposed to be my fiancée remember" he mumbled lowly into her hear, making the blond swallow before giving a stiff nod. She'd totally forgotten about that.

They were up high on the rooftop of a skytower, around them others rose along with landmarks, domes and antennas. And beyond that, a vast ocean, one Sola could have only dreamt of ever seeing. It was safe to say she was now staring at the immense expanse of blue, rather than anything else in their vicinity. 

"I...I've never seen so much blue" She said breathlessly blinking at the scene while Poe gave a small chuckle beside her, looking down at her to admire the awestruck look in her blue orbs.

Their ship disappeared behind them on a conveyer belt, Poe and Finn turning to look at the noise. Sola kept her eyes forward instead, like the ocean beyond them might disappear like a mirage in the desert if she looked away. Coronet City was beautiful, even housing parks, greenery and nature amongst it.

Finn cleared his throat loudly, and Poe quickly pushed Sola and himself to join his companions on the ramp. A row of Stormtroopers greeted them then, six on each side of the stone pathway where the landing area met the gardens.

The mechanic stiffened for a beat, Poe's arm hugging her a little tighter when he noticed before she had to remind herself that they needed to be acting. That she wasn't some Resistance mechanic, but instead, Merie Sy, rich daughter and now fiancée of a notorious weapons dealer. 

Her body relaxed it's hold, face setting onto a small smile and raised eyebrows, she stood on her heels restlessly peering around them, trying to come across as a young excited woman who was eager and looking forward to the party ahead. Instead of dreading it.

"Invitations please" The Stormtrooper asked, extending a hand.

Charth stepped forward at the front, handing the trooper a chip card who then proceeded to slide it into a data pad. It took a moment, before a chime indicated they could pass. Suralinda and Charth passing through without incident.

Finn was patted down next, alongside Poe who were checked for weapons. When the trooper stepped up to Sola however she frowned.

"Don't get handsy with me" She sounded brasher than she felt, pitching her voice and putting on a pout as she glared at the hesitating trooper "You think I could fit a weapon with this dress on?!" Sola huffed, tense, while Poe took her arm again and gave her hand a pat.

"Sorry, she can be a bit feisty" He chuckled a thin lipped smile giving away his nervousness to her.

He handed over his chip card wordlessly as the trooper backed off from the mechanic, hands raised in surrender.

"Something wrong?" Poe was speaking to the trooper who had taken the card and inserted it into the data-pad.

"Lorel Sh'da" The trooper said simply

"That is my name" Poe replied, still unsure of why he was asked in the first place.

"And you're from Coruscant?" 

"Canto Bight more recently, but yes I was born on Coruscant. A lot of people are from Coruscant" 

"That's where we met, on Coruscant, right Sweetie?" Sola spoke up from his side, flashing the trooper a grin before she leaned her head on Poe's shoulder as if she were reminiscing about their past meeting. 

"Right" Poe said back slightly, appreciating the support silently.

"Of course" The trooper finally said "it's just-"

Poe looked pointedly down at the chrono on his wrist "We're holding up the line. If there's not a problem"

The second Stormtrooper who had just searched them all stepped forward "Does the invitation check out?"

"Yes Sir, but this man looked familiar. I swear he looks familiar" 

"Perhaps you've seen me on the news feeds" Poe said smoothly. Sola was impressed with his quick thinking and added,

"He's all over them these days, can't get enough of his handsome face!" 

Poe would not let her live down that offhanded compliment and she knew it.

"There was that one deal" Finn said snapping his fingers "With the uh-, at the fathier track! That race you won" he spread his arms wide "Huge money, so much money"

He leaned in to the Stormtroopers "We couldn't get away from the reporters, constant coverage. I swear he had a fan club for months".

"Quite annoying actually" Sola sighed with a nod at Finn's side. 

While Poe only smiled wide, teeth shining through from behind his lips as if to will Finn 'not to lay it on too thick'.

The second Stormtrooper sounded almost bored when he said "Said, he's famous" gesturing towards Poe, "There's a lot of celebrities here that's why you recognise him".

"I don't think that's it" The first trooper said still doubtful.

"You're overthinking it" the second one replied shaking his head "This is supposed to be a cushy baby sitting detail. As long as he's got an invitation and he's not armed" he shrugged.

There was hesitation from the first Stormtrooper for a tense moment before someone from behind them shouted "What's the hold up?". 

"We are being pretty rude holding up the line like this" Sola gave a little impatient whine in her voice, bouncing on her heels and rubbing her arms as if to indicate that she was getting cold and irritated. 

The second Stormtrooper waved a hand "Move em through" he turned to Poe "move through".

Poe moved with Sola, Finn trailing behind him. Once free of the security check point they caught back up with Charth and Suralinda,

"What was the hold up?" Charth asked quietly.

"His pretty face-"

"Nothing" Poe cut off Sola with a stern look that made her roll her eyes but smirk. "I look familiar" he explained instead.

"You are known to he First Order, we probably should've gotten you a prosthetic of some kind. A fake nose or something" Suralinda said thoughtfully. The idea of Poe with a fake nose made Sola frown in amusement giving glance up to his handsome face. Nothing should cover that up.

"A wig?" Finn suggested, and Poe held a hand to his hair protectively.

"You wouldn't dare!" 

"Don't worry he'd have to go through me first" Sola joked, only to earn an incredulous look from both Poe and an amused Finn while they headed up the crystal stairs towards the doors in the sky.

Charth drew them to a stop in front of the entrance to the Shu mansion. "Here's where we part ways" he said, "Suralinda and I will make our thanks to the hosts first. So hold back a bit until you see we are gone. We don't want them to think we are more than simple acquaintances, sharing a shuttle down to the planet's surface. Lorel Sh'da is a friend of the Rylothian government so it is not so remarkable for him to accompany the Ambassadors side. But the eyes that watch us, need not know more than that".

"Okay, and after that?" Poe asked.

"It is my understanding that invited guests must present a gift to Nifera Shu" Sola was pretty sure Nifera Shu was the thief woman, Maz's friend, who had gotten her hand on the list they had come for in the first place, and was the same woman auctioning it off. This was her birthday they were attending then, "If she approves of your gift, she will present you with a gift in return. This gift is the next step in reaching the auction".

"Do you know what she's supposed to give us?" Poe spoke up again after a moment of silence.

"I assume a map of some kind, but I'm not sure" 

"Poe, your gift" Suralinda reached into her dress pocket, pulled out a small square box and presented it to the Commander with flurry of her wrist.

"Careful, it's fragile so don't shake it" She giggled, "and don't open it until you're in front of those who it is intended for. I wish I could be there to see it".

"I don't like the sound of this" Poe said "At all".

"Me neither..." Sola agreed quietly, staring at the gift as if it were some kind of live bomb ready to blow up in their faces. What was so fragile and important in there that they couldn't open it up to check it?

"The rumour is that Nifera does like the unusual, and you need to make an impression. We couldn't risk you not getting into the auction, so I made sure you would make an impression".

"You got her a necklace!" Poe gave a wave towards Suralinda in emphasis while Suralinda sniffed.

"We're dignitaries, you are a rouge of sorts. I picked gifts that fit" She took Charth outstretched arm in her own and leaned in to give Poe a kiss on the cheek, "good luck".

Okay, now Sola hated the woman again, rage boiling in her gut at the sight.

Charth nodded his farewell and then they were melting into the crowd, Sola watching with hard eyes as Suralinda gave the briefest of glances back to smirk at her. Kriffing little-

Poe held up the box, listening before wrenching his head away as a scratching sound could be heard. Sola heard it too, and turned her head to stare at it.

"Don't shake it!" Finn reminded him quickly.

"I'm not!" 

"What do you think it is?" 

"No idea. But knowing Suralinda, it will be interesting"

"I'll keep it safe for you" Sola rolled her eyes at the two, taking it from Poe's fingers before he could protest and putting it carefully into the invisible pocket sown into the inside of her dress the box jerking under her hand.   
The man was far to careless and brash to ever handle such a delicate thing. 

The dark clad pilot gave her only a huff before he continued.

"Now let's go find the Shu's, get this over with so we can get that list".

Inside the venue, the home, the air was thick with the smell of cologne, perfume, and alcoholic drinks. Whatever the house had looked like before, it was transformed into an underwater kingdom now. Blue hues danced at the walls and through the crowds in startling real holo-projections of fish and other underwater wildlife. Even the food was ocean themed. Expensive robes and dresses passing them as they entered the fray of expensive bodies huddled together greeting and discussing topics Sola had never imagined herself to be around. No, Merie, she was Merie here. Idiot rich fiancée of a weapons dealer who had no clue about the business and instead was arm candy of the most innocent verity. Born and raised on Coruscant where parties were wild and very much commonplace. She would have to appear like she fit in here, like she wanted to be here. At the first real party she'd ever been to in her life. 

Sounds easy enough.

"You alright?" Poe was in her ear, leaning in closer as he lead them through the crowd with Finn one step behind them at all times. He had seen the instant tension in her shoulders as soon as they had entered the rowdy crowd, how her eyes had scanned the large room for all it's exits and gripped his arm a little tighter. Sola had never been one for loud large occasions such as this, he could tell with how she acted back in the bar on D'Qar, and how she had a habit of hiding herself away in the corners of the rooms she occupied if there were many other people around. Poe wasn't blind.

Turning her eyes away from a couple laughing over some sort of joke about the luminous drinks spilling from their hands, Sola looked up a Poe. 

She looked older, more mature in such lavish makeup and dress. Poe thought but didn't say it while he waited for her reply.

"Y-Yeah, sorry, just not...used to this" Sola quickly cleared her throat, flashing him a toothy smile and taking a deep breath in and out to calm her nerves. It helped a little, though the strong smell of another suffocating perfume filled her lungs and made her cringe. 

"It's okay, just keep close, keep smiling that pretty smile and everything will be fine" Poe patted her arm curtly as he surveyed the room around them, he too seemed a little nervous though his charming grin easily hid it "I hope". 

"Well that's comforting" Sola snorted giving him a small doubtful look that he returned by sending her a laugh and a wink that made her face heat up just a tad. He really did look devilishly, dangerously, handsome in that dark suit.

"You look breathtaking by the way, Sweetheart" The pilot murmured close enough to her ear for her to feel his breath on her skin before pressing a small kiss to her cheek as he steered them between two bodies flashing Finn a nod behind him to make sure he was still there. 

Poe had no idea what that small comment did to her insides, turned her legs to mush and made her swallow a burning lump to hold back her astonishment from showing. She barely managed to croak out a shy "T-Thank you" in the end. She hadn't even thought Poe had noticed her state earlier, barely addressed it. It warmed her now however, to know that he had been paying attention more than he let on.

"I swear, if we weren't at this ridiculous party I'd-"

He was about to say something definitely not meant for prying ears.

Sola punched his arm lightly "Later, Lorel!" She whispered harshly in an embarrassed tone, though craving to know how he might've finished that sentence.

Poe chuckled throwing her an offended look before clearing his throat "Right, later" he mumbled in annoyance.


	28. Resistance Reborn: Pt. 6: The Auction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for jealousy and bidding.

Even the drinks served by the waiting staff reflected the Corellian ocean theme. They bubbled and fizzed gently in their tall tubular glasses in blue and green hues, and Sola swore she heard the distant sound of ocean waves of some kind from the glass in her hand while she stood taking a small testing sip.

"This place is wild!" Finn exclaimed beside her as she stood between the two taller men. He was already in possession of a plate heaped with several kinds of ocean fish and crustaceans he had bagged from the mountain of sea themed food which had been piling on several long tables they had wandered by. 

"Tell me about it" Sola made a face at her drink, the slight taste of salt in the aftertaste catching her off guard. It certainly wasn't bad though.

"Have you ever seen food like this?!" Finn asked eagerly taking a bite of what looked like some sort of massive prawn.

"Once, not a great memory" Poe replied giving a shudder at the memory that Sola barely caught now they their arms weren't linked any longer in favour of holding up their respective drinks. 

"Right" Finn stuffed an entire Jab-krab leg in his mouth, the sight making the blond mechanic hold back a laugh, and bit down cringing in instant pain.

"You have to take the shell off first" Poe said amused at the sight himself and shaking his head.

That had been the exact reason Sola had not picked up any food herself yet, the prospect of getting it terribly wrong when she tried any of the strange new foods was rather one she would avoid in front of a crowd. She'd never had any seafood before, it did look intriguing though.

"Well why didn't they say so?!" Finn spoke with a full mouth as Poe clapped a hand against the younger man's arm.

"Did I ever tell you how much I appreciate you?"

Finn grinned back "Not as much as you should".

Poe drained the glass he had been holding in his free land easily, a sight that made Sola try another sip of her own bright green drink only to give a small frown again. That aftertaste was something she needed to get used to. 

"The drinks are...something" Sola spoke up, making Poe and Finn look down at her in amusement.

"Not good?" Poe asked with a slight smirk that told her he was teasing her lack of knowledge with these kinds of beverages.

"Somehow, shockingly" She sighed and downed the rest of her glass just to show the pair that she wasn't going to shy away from the drink, shuddering and scrunching up her face before setting away her glass "I prefer the stuff they serve on Tatooine" Now that was something she never thought she'd hear herself say. Poe giving a chuckle in result.

"You ready to go present our gift to the Shu's?"

"Let me just" Finn stuffed a piece of dark fleshy fish in his mouth rolling his eyes in pleasure "Okay, now I'm ready". Must've tasted pretty good then, Sola noted that she might need to try a piece herself later if they had time. When would be the next opportunity she'd ever get to try fish?

They wound their way through the crowds of humans, Twi'Leks and dozens of other diverse species from around the Galaxy together. All with one thing in common, they looked very, very, rich.

"Hey Lorel" Finn addressed Poe mouth close to his ear "Did you notice something alarming, about this crowd?"

Sola heard, and she and Poe looked a little closer through the crowds as they passed. The only conclusion Sola could come up with was: First Order.

"Did you know half the attendees of this shindig would be First Order?" Finn asked eying the room.

"It's more like a quarter" Sola corrected not looking at either of them.

"I think we underestimated the First Order presence in Coronet City. And that they'd all be here tonight" Poe's own eyes were still ahead, surveying the crowds grimly.

"You think?!" Finn said, dipping his head in a small nod of acknowledgement as another First Order officer walked by them.

"You still wanna wear that pin?" 

Sola frowned at Poe's words, turning her head to Finn "What pin?".

Finn flashed the smaller woman a pin which looked like some of old Rebel Fighter-craft symbol on his tie, proudly so, "Are you kidding?! Now more than ever" Finn said.

As risky as that was, Sola couldn't help the small proud grin on her face at his declaration. He had all the right in the universe to shove it to those First Order officers, at any party or battle for that matter.

"Y-You'll have my back in a fight though right?" Finn hesitated glancing at them both in turn.

"I don't need an excuse to punch a First Order Officer in the face Finn" Sola sent him a sly look while Poe laughed.

"Inevitably" The pilot chuckled.

They reached the receiving line together, Poe taking Sola's arm again to make sure their act held up.

"Still got the gift?" Finn asked while the mechanic reached gingerly into her dress pocket and pulled out the small box to hand to Poe with a nod. 

"Safe and sound" She mumbled, Poe giving her a thankful nod in return.

They didn't need to wait long until they were face to face with the parties hosts, the Shu's. Husband and wife side by side who grinned at them in greeting. 

"Lorel Sh'da!" Nifera Shu greeted Poe, her dress made of thousands of tiny shells glinting in the artificial marine lighting, "a pleasure to finally meet you. Our mutual acquaintances speak quite highly of you".

Poe took Nifera's outstretched hand, brushing a kiss across her knuckles, the woman's dark eyes glittering in delight. 

"The pleasure is mine" He said smoothly, and again Sola was reminded of how attached she had become to Poe. Enough to make her shoulders tense as she watch the exchange, before remembering who she was supposed to be playing, and eased herself back into a fake smile.

"This is my husband" Nifera gestured towards the shorter man "He's not familiar with your previous work but is surely a supporter".

The pilot nodded to the man, who nodded back in acknowledgement.

"This is my fiancée, Merie Sy" Poe finally introduced with a gesture towards Sola at his arm who's smile spread at the words, her head bowing slightly to the taller woman, her thumb toyed with the cool metal on her finger.

"Quite a woman" Nifera's husband mused, stepping forward to take her small hand in his own to place a kiss across her knuckles. She hadn't expected the action from the quiet man, and simply stared, bringing herself back from her daze once Poe cleared his throat at her side and shot her a look that told her she should reply. Another thing she spotted however, was how tight Poe's jaw had gotten all of a sudden. Was Poe Dameron...jealous perhaps?

"And a lucky one" Sola said smoothly, hoping it would recover her from her silence as she flashed the man a fake blush she tried to hide behind the hand he had just kissed. He seemed to appreciate it with a small grin as he took a step back.

"Clearly" Nifera didn't seem as impressed, her lips thin in a smile though she didn't look angry to Sola's relief. No need to get on the birthday girl's bad side, especially since she had been Maz's contact, the connection that had gotten them into the Auction in the first place.

"And my associate, Cade Genti" Poe finally introduced Finn, the both of them stepping aside to let Finn present himself from behind the couple.

"A queen of the sea" Finn said easily, kissing Nifera's hand "On her second, twenty fifth birthday".

Sola turned her head away against Poe's shoulder to hide a roll of her eyes. Suck-up.

The Corellian woman laughed loudly "You are charming, and what a name" she arched an eyebrow at Finn. "An admirer of the Fire Bird I see?".

Finn touched his pin briefly "And yourself?" He asked recklessly, the words making Sola grip Poe's arm a little tighter for a split second until she saw the sparkle in the woman's eyes that told her she was amused, rather than offended.

"Brave" Nifera murmured "Or very impetuous"

"I like to think I'm a bit of both" Finn countered. And Sola bit back a warning to him that he should stop acting so brash in these circumstances.

The woman turned back to Poe "Do you have a gift for me gentlemen, madam, besides your charm and flattery?" 

Poe presented her with the gift. It fit neatly inside Nifera's open palm the gold wrapping catching the light as the woman's face brightened and she unwrapped the present with eager fingers.

It hissed and chattered in her hands, Nifera's eyes widening as the flimsy tore away to reveal a tiny metal cage. And inside that cage, a tiny living insect. Sola's own eyes went wide for a brief moment, very much as astounded as Poe and Finn at her side.

"Oooohu!" Nifera cried.

"Oh!" Finn shouted surprised.

"Ohh..." Poe moaned quietly, resulting in a stiffed giggle up at him from Sola that he silenced with an exasperated look down at her.

There was a small scroll attached to the top of the cage, and Nifera peeled it free handing the cage back to Poe. He took it, peering at the creature. It had six legs held in a hard shell of armour, spiked mandibles snapping at him while tentacles waved through the bars of it's cage as if to reach out and grab him. 

"Cute" Sola muttered from his side, her own eyes inspecting the odd creature.

"It's a miniature Lilek!" Nifera exclaimed, sounding delighted while she read from the scroll in her hands. "A native of the Ryloth Equatorial rainforests, they usually grow to immense size. Big enough to eat a full grown man. But this one has been especially bred to stay small, as long as you don't feed it flesh".

"Well I'm glad I'm not a man then" Sola all but muttered under her breath, Poe barely holding back a surprised chuckle at her cheeky words. Who'd have thought she'd grown cocky enough to be so sassy these days?

"And" Nifera continued, looking fascinated, "this one is a queen" she rolled the scroll back up and handed it to her horrified husband. 

Poe held the cage out, the beast inside still scurrying around and waving it's tentacles menacingly. 

"I love it!" Nifera Shu said, clearly pleased, "I do believe this is the best gift I have received, Lorel Sh'da". The woman leaned in conspiratorially only for Poe to hear. 

"But I am impressed" Sola only managed to make out he rest of her words, and let out a quiet exhale of relief that the strange gift hadn't been a disaster.

Poe blinked "I'm glad you appreciate this small token of my appreciation of your...birth".

"I do indeed, and now, I have a gift for you" Nifera handed off the Lilek to her husband who handed it off to a servant nearby. Nifera then dipped her hand into a pocket and drew forth a tiny black clam shaped packet. She took Poe's hand and pressed the packet into his palm, temporarily holding his hand in her own. 

She proceeded to whisper something to him again, to Sola's frustration though all she could do was stare intently at the package hidden in Poe's hand, wondering why the woman had felt the need to hold his hand in the process for so long. 

Just like that, they were being moved along the line again for the next guests to present their gifts to the couple. 

They remained at the lower side of the room for a while, keeping out of the way of First Order officials as they wondered. Finn and Sola hurrying off back to the banquet table together so Finn could show her wish fish he had tried that was so delicious earlier, while Poe went off to find Charth and Suralinda. 

"Amazing right?!" Finn hummed as he ate a bite of his own food, cake this time, by Sola's side. 

The mechanic could wholeheartedly agree as she ate a bite of the dark fish, groaning at the taste with a strong nod "Stars, what I wouldn't give to eat that everyday".

"Hey, try this" Finn addressed Poe who joined them at the table handing him a slice of yellow cake on a small plate, before taking a bite of his own slice again.

"What is it?" Poe frowned but held the plate.

"Who cares, it's delicious!" 

"I'd trust him" Sola agreed with a shrug as Poe took a closer look at the layer of icing.

"Are those...sea worms?" The Pilot said with a frown.

Finn didn't seem to care as he stuffed the rest of his cake into his mouth. Sola decided taking her time with the food was a better idea, taking large, but manageable bites of the fillet of fish on her plate as she watched with an amused grin. She could get used to this kind of food.

A bell chime rang out from somewhere, marking the hour. 

"Come on, let's find somewhere private, see what Nifera has given us" Poe announced putting the plate aside back on the table and gesturing the two to follow.

At the far back corner of the room, they found a quiet balcony that looked out over Coronet City. Poe handed Finn a com-link, one he said Suralinda had given him when he had went off to find her earlier. Before he motioned for Finn to stay and stand watch at the balcony door while he and Sola stepped out into warm, humid Corellian sea air.

Opening up the small shell shaped package in his hands it revealed image-caster with a single individual earbud. He slipped he bud into his right ear while Sola watched, and pressed the button on the caster.

A holo projected itself in front of his eyes, an adjudication droid holding a gavel. It greeted him before displaying the credit account Connix had created for him. 

He whistled low in appreciation at the large sum of money, giving Sola a glance who remained watching with raised eyebrows. It looked like it was probably most of the credits the Resistance had.

Next the projection prompted him to pick an avatar, to represent him in the upcoming anonymous bidding. Keeping in with the parties theme, each animal was a sea creature of some kind, of course. Sola rolled her eyes.

Randomly Poe picked a red creature from the list, before the holo blinked to confirm his choice, telling him to please wait.

"How's it going?!" Finn's voice in Poe's other ear made the Pilot jump and caused a giggle to spill free from Sola's lips.

"I'm waiting for the auction to begin" Poe replied gruffly.

"Great, all clear out here" Finn said giving them a thumbs up from the doorway.

"Should I go and help Finn-" Sola was about to ask if she should go outside and help keep watch, but Poe shook his head and cut her off.

"No, I'd rather have a cover story for if anyone comes looking for us" He said eyes focused on the display in front of his eye still "Young couple out for some fresh air sounds less suspicious than-"

"Placing bids in a secret auction, got it" Sola gave a nod and braced an arm on the balcony of the railing to peer out into the ocean. It looked even prettier from up here, waving at them in the distance under the starlight. The mechanic wished she could admire it fully, properly, with Poe. If it weren't for their important mission here, she might've even enjoyed the whole city, and party more.

"What the hell!?" Poe's startled voice made her turn her head, seeing the display of credits on the small screen in front of his eye, now cut in half.

"Thank you for your generous donation to the Collective" The droid on the screen announced loudly. The Collective? Sola thought, remembering faintly that they were a secret criminal group, focusing mainly on data banks and hacking. They were the one's auctioning off the list?!

"This donation is non-refundable. The bidding will begin in approximately three minutes, please stand by" the droid added before going silent.

"They've already taken half our credits!" Poe said loudly, and Finn poked his head around the corner.

"Did you say something?"

"The auction, they've already claimed half our credits as a donation!"

"How generous of them" Sola grumbled, dreading how much more they would need to now pay in order to get their hands on this list. The Resistance would end up with scraps.

"Criminals" Finn said shaking his head in disgust "Can't trust them".

"That's not the point!" Poe said "Well...not entirely, the point is that if this auction gets pricey we won't be able to compete".

Finn grabbed his arm, face intent "We've gotta get that list Poe, that's why we're here"

Sola placed her arm over Finn's which was resting on Poe's to try and calm him "he knows that Finn" she assured softly.

"The future of the Resistance is that list" Finn continued, undeterred.

"I know I know" Poe scratched at his chin "I'll think of something". 

Those words worried her more than the idea of them running out of credits. Because Poe certainly would think of something, probably something reckless and ridiculous that might get him into trouble. Even with good intentions. She sighed and dropped her arm as the droid returned.

"Bidding to commence in: 5, 4, 3, 2-" a bell chimed, barely heard by the blond, in his ear. And a document appeared on his screen, a list of encrypted names and locations with the heading of 'Subversives', and another under 'Currently Detained'. This was it.

"Opening bid at ten thousand credits" the droid said "do I hear twenty?". That was a lot.

"Here we go..." If Poe had heard her mumble, he didn't address it.

Poe grimaced but was determined to win, focused on the task at hand, "Twenty" he uttered into the mic "You have twenty".

After that the bids rolled in fast and hard, both Poe and Sola having a hard time keeping up especially with Finn interrupting him to keep asking how it was going every few seconds. It was impossible to keep track of the number of bidders and credits spent, it just kept going up and up until Poe covered his the device in his ear for a moment and the holo projection flickered off.

"Fi- I mean, Cade!" He corrected with a loud whisper "Go look around for other bidders, see if you can identify anyone that looks like they're spending a lot of credits". 

Finn looked at him quizzingly, "Just try, go! Tell me what you see" Poe sighed motioning Finn forward with his hands, and Sola took a moment to mirror the confused look before she realised what he was doing and ushering Finn from the balcony. They needed to slow down the bidding somehow, distract the other buyers if they could otherwise the list would be lost from them very soon.

"I'll go too, more eyes" Sola nodded to Poe who looked hesitant but did not stop her. Finn shook his head reluctantly as he stepped out back into the room with her to leave Poe alone, they eyed the room.

Sola found it much easier to pick people from a crowd, having lived a long time avoiding or sifting through them meant that when she needed to find something important, she found it. 

"Found one" She mumbled before wondering off to leave Finn who turned back to speak to Poe. She hadn't been given a com to communicate with them, but guessed she could find them again if she needed to, it wasn't like they were going anywhere anyway.

On her way over, the slid the ring Poe had lent her, his mother's, off her finger and into her pocket. Better to look single if you want to attract a man's attention.

"Oh, excuse me Sir" The man in the corner of the room had an earpiece much like Poe's, one he was focusing on intently when she had bumped into him. By accident of course.

Hook.

"I do apologise" She laughed airily as the tall man shot her a frown, doing a double take once he realised what he was looking at and grinning slowly instead.

Line.

"Don't mention it, I am a little busy however, you must excuse me" The man had horns rising from his head, several smaller ones and four larger. His skin was painted a deep orange with black markings unlike anything she'd seen before. Not even back on Tatooine had she ever met someone of his species before.

Sinker. 

"R-right, I'm sorry, I seem to have lost my-" She cleared her throat, swaying on her feet as if she were drunk and unsteady "friends, this party is rather grand isn't it?" She giggled as he reached out to steady her by her arm, stepping a little closer than she was usually comfortable with but enough to warrant her hand coming up to rest on his bread chest. It would look as if she were trying to have contact with him, but was instead a move to keep him at a distance just in case he felt the need to touch her any further.

"Indeed" he seemed to be battling with himself, glancing at the rising bids on his hologram whilst trying to keep his attention on the smaller woman who had stumbled into him. 

"My, are those real!?" As interested as she was, Sola would never have dared to touch anybody like she was now doing, her fingers gracing the small dark horns on his head while the mans lowered eyes watched her carefully.

"Very much yes" he pried her hand away with a grip stronger than necessary, enough to make her wince.

"Oh-" he raised an eyebrow at her awe, her eyes now catching the earpiece and reaching towards it "what's this thing?".

Before the stranger could stop her, she'd snatched it into her hands examining it with a playful bounce back.

"Hey!" He practically growled as he tried to tare it from her, but Sola was fast enough to turn away and let it slip from her fingers onto the floor with a soft clatter. It didn't shatter and she bit the inside of her cheek in disappointment.

"Stupid little-" 

"Oh no, I'm so sorry, I'm a little clumsy, it's the drinks. Here let me just" The smaller woman swayed on her feet for a second while he rolled his eyes, before attempting to pick up to retrieve it only to stumble again and take a step forward as not to fall, her heeled foot in the process stomping the image-caster piece into a pile of rubble with a loud snap and crunch.

The string of curses from his mouth weren't as bad as the unexpected slap that followed across her cheek. It would've sent her flying to the floor had she been as drunk as she acted, but did burn and sting a whole lot, her head turned sideways by the force. The memory of one of her fathers angry episodes back on Tatooine when she was a child flashed through her mind for a brief second stunning her silent.

"Idiot!" He cursed, the commotion having attracted a few eyes around them before he stormed off with a grunt. 

A shout of alarm tore her attention to the grant entrance, Stormtroopers filing into the room briskly out of nowhere. It looked like most of the First Order officers that had been littering the place had vanished all of a sudden, as if forewarned by this event somehow. Sola cringed and cradled her burning cheek with her hands, hot tears in her eyes from the sharp pain still radiating from the impact. She was sure that would leave a nice bruise tomorrow, if they made it out of here.

Bright party conversation faded to the sound of shock and bewilderment on everyone's faces. The only sound now being the strange underwater themed music echoing softly from around the crowds and the stomping of First Order Stormtroopers.

Through the river of white troopers which were now spreading further into the room, one First Order officer coming up behind them clad in black uniform spoke up with a shout "This is an illegal gathering. Under the joint authority of Corsek and the First Order all guests will be detained and questioned, if you are innocent you have nothing to fear. However if you resist you will be shot".

Fear pounded at her ribcage, dread making itself known in the form of a cold sweat as Sola peered around the room slowly to try and find Finn and Poe. Luckily, they hadn't wondered far from the balcony door and she shuffled through behind the party guests quietly back to their sides. Sliding Poe's ring back on her finger as she went, the metal band bringing her momentary comfort.

"What happened!?" Poe spotted her the second she drew near, taking in her red cheek with a deep frown on his face. He was whispering, but his words were harsh and strained, like was holding himself back from shouting. A hand came up to try examine her cheek, but Sola swatted it away quickly.

"Nothing" They didn't have time to discuss it right now and it wasn't a big deal either way "I'm fine" She mumbled back avoiding his hard gaze while another voice in the crowd spoke up. The husband of Nifera had stepped forward in front of the Officer, his body blocking him from his guests.

"Stop!" his voice carried over the party "This is a private residence, what is the meaning of this?!"

The Stormdrooper in the lead lifted his rifle and pointed it at the man and without hesitation and pulled the trigger. Shu went down with a stagger, a large blaster hole in his forehead, eyes rolled back. He was dead.

Sola muffled a mortified gasp behind her hands and jumped closer to Poe. They'd just...killed their host outright?! Just like that, in front of hundreds of people! 

A loud crash followed, as someone or something outside of their direct vision knocked one of the towering banquet tables over. Ice and seafood thundered to the floor, the deafening boom resonating around the room loud and unexpected as a bomb. That too made her flinch, one hand coming to instinctively hold onto the bottom of Poe's left sleeve. 

One of the Stormtroopers no doubt rattled by the noise fired rapidly towards the crowd, and that's when the screaming started. 

Shit had metaphorically, hit the fan.

It was an overload of the senses, each scream was loud and mingling at different pitches as the trio ducked down. Fear, everything was a mess and there was nothing but fear in her head as Sola's wide blue eyes took in the massacre in front of her eyes. People scrambled for cover, for a way out, knocking into each other and over each other in their haste while bodies one after the other hit the ground with deafening thuds. The shattering of cups, plates and furniture followed, and somehow several people must have been able to sneak in blasters as the sound of blaster fire rung through the air, tables and chairs turned over as makeshift protection as the people fought back.

"Kriff-" Poe cursed loudly beside her, glancing down at the hand she had clutched in his sleeve before he crouched down onto his knees to her side. She'd sunk to her knees, dazed.

"Hey, c'mon now, we need to get out of here" He was staring at her, grasping her hand in his own, enveloping them in his warmth to try and snap her back to reality while Finn shouted something from behind him he had no time to address right now.

"Sola" He said louder, more urgently as more blaster fires rung out much closer than before. People were screaming and running blindly, even into each other, as they tried to save themselves from the Stormtrooper's rapid fire.

The sound of her name snapped her head around to him, staring for several seconds until her brain finally registered the image and she was back in reality with a small blink "Poe...".

"I know. Come on" Poe gave her a strong nod, squeezing her hand before taking it into his own and dragging her along. She followed easily and without protest, panic had stolen all motor control, Poe held all directive for several long strides until she managed to finally take control of her limbs again and snuck forward alongside him.


	29. Resistance Reborn: Pt. 7: Blaster Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe's a reckless idiot, and Sola decides to keep her struggles to herself. What's new really.

The scene was a nightmare mix of the surreal of the holo-gram projected serine fish floating through the air, and the all too real as people died on both sides. The smell of salty sea air was thick in the room, wafting through the wide open doors which had been left open behind the First Order soldiers, so potent Sola could almost taste it on her tongue.

Even while the thin First Order officer yelled for calm, the damage had been done and no one was listening.

They took their opportunity, staying low to the ground as they made their way through the crowd "We need to find Suralinda and Charth" Poe said over his shoulder.

"We need to find a couple of blasters" Finn countered. 

Sola's free hand rubbed at a spot on her upper thigh over her dress nervously.

"Both" Poe said "Both would be good".

"I'd rather get out of here" As much as she was itching for a fight as well, to fire back and give those First Order troopers a taste of their own medicine. Getting involved in the fight wouldn't do them any favours, they'd only draw more attention. 

"Look" Both Poe and Sola followed Finn's directive, and there behind the artificial rocks of a waterfall, Suralinda. Returning fire with a fallen Stormtroopers rifle, they made their way over to her ducking behind columns and avoiding the frightened crowd.

"Where's Charth?" Poe asked as he reached her side, breathing hard. 

"Is he alive?!" Was Sola's first thought, and she voiced it breathlessly at their side, peering out over the panicked mass to try and spot any escape route they might be able to sneak through. Stormtroopers were everywhere, and so were dead bodies. She paled and averted her eyes back to Suralinda who looked their way before they all ducked as another blaster shattered the rocks just above their heads.

"He went for the ship, what happened?!" Suralinda asked harshly.

"They must've found out about the auction" Poe gestured towards the woman's blaster with his chin "Don't suppose you have another one of those?" 

Sola stiffened glancing nervously down at their intertwined hands before wringing her's out from Poe's grip and under her dress to hover over the concealed blaster she'd snuck with her through security earlier. It was small, strapped to her upper thigh, and she hadn't informed anyone about it in fear she might be told off for risking such a thing in the first place.

She gulped, hesitant, and then slipped it out from the holster and into her shaking hand, keeping it low at her side flicking off the safety before taking aim.

Suralinda smiled, showing fangs "Go find your own, I did"

"A little help then?" Poe countered as the woman leaned out from behind the rocks and took a moment to steady her aim despite incoming fire, one shot, and she took out the Stormtrooper closest to her.

Finn darted forward to retrieve the weapon Suralinda giving cover fire. Finn grabbed the blaster and dived behind a column several meters away not sparing a glance back to them.

"Good?" Suralinda asked with a small smirk.

"We can't leave yet, we got to get that list" Poe said, and Sola turned her head to him with astonishment,

"We didn't get it?!" She breathed, and his eyes were on her for the first time since they'd arrived. Taking in her disheveled hair and the red handprint on her face, only then did the curly haired pilot catch the blaster in her hands within his gaze.

"Where the hell did you get that?!" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"Smuggled it in with me" Sola gave a shrug quickly drawing her eyes back out to the battle and firing off a couple of shots that covered Finn who was firing wildly from out beside the column he was perched behind. 

"The list is lost" Suralinda frowned "We've got to get out of here alive". With that Sola agreed silently, focused on keeping the Stormtroopers away from their location, but unable to bring herself to actually kill any of them outright. Her aim had become decent since her training with Poe so long ago, and she was sure she could have killed several troopers by now. But in her heart, she knew if she did so the memory of it would haunt her and bring back old demons she would rather avoid for the rest of her life. Her hands shook, and she gulped nervously hoping neither Poe nor Suralinda could see her struggle.

Suddenly the lights around the room shut off, plunging them all into darkness.

"What now..." Poe sighed at her side, unable to see him she certainly heard the strain in his voice as she ducked back beside him for cover. Small floor illuminations blinked on around the room, offering just enough light to avoid tripping over any bodies. But not enough to see who was coming for them.

"At least that damn Ocean Holo is off" Suralinda murmured.

"I kinda liked it" Sola offered back only to receive a baffled look from the woman.

"You, Finn and Sola find Charth and get to the ship" Poe said suddenly an idea clearly forming in his head. He was going to split up from them.

"What?!" Suralinda and Sola exclaimed in unison at the pilot, eyes wide.

No, there was no way. If Poe left-

Fear, her vision was getting foggy and her breaths were shorter than before. Panic rose like the tide in her veins, swelling until she was almost choking on the sea air.

"Where will you be?" Suralinda asked astonished.

"I'm going to get that list!"

"No way Poe!" Sola shook her her furiously, turning her body towards him in the dark to try and see his face better. There was no way in kriffing hell she would let Poe run off unarmed and by himself. Not with this shitshow going on around them. Wide fearful eyes searched blindly for his eyes, barely able to make out the shape of his head as he gave a sigh crouched above her smaller form.

"It's a terrible idea and you know it!" Sola enforced, panic rising in her voice her hands shaking against her chest while tears welled in her eyes. If Poe left her now she feared she might crumble under the reality of it all.

They had no list, no ship, and no way out. Surrounded with First Order troopers and barely able to stand their ground.

"I have to, you need to get to the ship, and we need that list" His hands found her face, cradling her cheeks and making her jump at the unexpected contact that brought a sharp pain up her reddening cheek which had been previously struck. Sola didn't pull away, just stared up at him blindly with dread and fear morphing her face into a deep frown. 

Poe saw the dread coiling at her throat, the panic muddling her brain. He heard it in her voice and in the way her breaths had become short and raspy, and as much as he wanted to stay and make sure she was safe.

"That list is the Resistance" He said again "Don't fall apart yet" that sounded like an order. Sola gulped.

"I...I won't" She repeated it in her head; Don't fall apart, don't fall apart, do not, fall apart!

Not yet.

He wasn't going to give up. Curse you Poe Dameron.

"T-Then take this-" She was about to push her blaster into his hand but he shook his head and pushed it right back against her chest and released her face.

"No, you need it more than I do" Just like that Poe was gone, leaving behind a gust of wind which fanned her face as he raced up the stairs behind Finn to chase down Nifera who was still, surprisingly, alive.

Without another word at Suralinda who had watched the display, she leaned back around the rocks and began firing again. 

Eyes hard, heart steeled, her shaking hands moved on autopilot as each shot now was set to kill. 

Don't fall apart.

If she killed them Poe would be safe. If she killed those Stormtroopers, Poe would come back alive, he was like the anchor to her mind. She needed to kill them.

The word's echoed in her head like a war cry.

One shot connected with a shoulder, sending a stunned Stormtrooper backwards from the force of the hit. Another into a calf leaving a clear smoking hole that made the man crumble into a heap with a wail of pain, several more followed each one skimming the space close to a couple of more Stromtroopers heads. 

One connected to a neck, and they were dead, gargling on their burning blood as they went.

"You're quite a shot" Suralinda's voice morphed in with the rapid rate of blaster fire that echoed in her ear until it was dull. Her mind was focused on one task, and it was to get out of here alive to find Poe.

Another two shots landed clean kills, adding to her body count.

"We need to go, let's clear the way" Suralinda ordered tapping the mechanic's shoulder to get her attention, Sola gave a curt nod and they fired their way towards Finn and out a side exit the former trooper had spotted, or rather, created with a few shots through a large enough window for them to jump through.

Her dress had torn in the process, right up the side of her leg to leave it swaying open in the wind, and she was sure she'd cut her calf somewhere at the bottom of her right foot, but Sola pretended not to notice as she followed the pair out into the gardens with a low hiss through clenched teeth.

They spotted Poe and Nifera above them on a balcony and before any of them could call up to them, the two figures had flung themselves off it and into a pool below.

Sola hurried to the side of the water's surface, searching frantically in the pond to see if she could spot his head. Was he dead?! Had the water been too shallow and he knocked his head at the bottom and- 

With a gasp, Poe broke the surface loudly, treading himself above the water by his legs before Finn reached forward and dragged him to the edge of the pool and out of the water. Sola took a step backwards in relief, taking deep breaths to breathe in the missing air her lungs had been screaming for. 

"Finn!" A wide grin of relief had spread over Poe's face, and the sight made Sola both mad and happy.

"You're a reckless, idiotic flyboy!" The mechanic yelled at him in frustration at what he had just done and eased herself back onto both feet with a small wince, the cut on her leg was hurting now that the adrenaline had begun to fade and she bent down to press a hand over where it burned. Red glistening back from her palm when she held up her hand and she sighed quietly under her breath wiping it on her red dress to hide the evidence. At least the colour of the garment was convenient.

Don't think about it, just...pretend you didn't see it. She told herself. There was no time for passing out right now, she couldn't fall apart yet.

"I can't believe you jumped!" Finn laughed beside him helping him up with a large grin of his own, as soon as Poe stood back on two feet Sola hurled herself into his arms, not caring about how the front of her dress soaked through from the water dripping off him, for a brief but strong hug he happily returned. She took a deep breath in, calming the bombardment of thoughts in her head for a split second.

Suralinda was helping out Nifera from the water beside the them wordlessly.

"Your necklace!" Poe suddenly gasped, letting go of the blond to turn towards the pond and search the water with his eyes as if that necklace had somehow become important while Sola limped back to stand beside Finn. 

Nifera did not seem panicked, her hand reaching into the water and seconds later the serpent slithered up her arm all the way up to the same place around her neck where it had previously lay. 

"Cute trick" Suralinda observed.

"A better trick would be to tell me we have a way out of here" Poe said "Where's Charth?"

"Headed back to us, no luck on the ship, it's locked down tight the whole landing dock's surrounded by Stormtroopers" Suralinda answered. She must've spoken to Charth over their com while Sola had been busy firing at the troopers,   
shooting them down, killing them. 

The blond swallowed and pushed that thought aside for now. 'More important things', she reminded herself bitterly.

"I thought you were going to get me out of here Lorel?!" Nifera complained loudly, Sola spared her a glance, she looked worse than she herself did, soaking wet and shivering slightly.

"I am-, we are, we just- need to...think of another plan" Poe answered, the hesitation in his voice telling Sola that in fact he had no plan beyond what came after jumping from that balcony.

"Well I suggest we do it quick" Suralinda said "I figure we only have a few minutes before we've got our contingent of troopers to deal with". 

She was right, they were too exposed here out in the open. 

"What about Wedge?" Finn asked, and all of their eyes turned to him. Yes, Wedge and his team were still on Corellia too, quite close in fact. They were going to help break free prisoners and would certainly have a ship to carry them on.

"Go on" Poe said turning to him.

"He's here right? And he's got a ship. We get to him, we got a ship too" 

"You're a genius Finn!" And Sola meant that, smiling just slightly at him as she bit back from the pain that was spreading slowly up her leg. She was sure she could feel the warm trickle of blood down her calf now, warming her skin and seeping into her shoes. 

Again, she tried to ignore it.

"Brilliant! Now all we need to know is where he is" Poe nodded with a small grin. 

"I'll hail Connix back on Ryloth" Suralinda offered "Maybe she can pinpoint Wedge's position" she turned away, comlink in hand they heard her talking, relaying their situation. 

"What's going on...?" Nifera injected nervously, narrowing her eyes at them "Who is Wedge? And who are you, really?"

Finn stepped up "We're with the Resistance Ma'am, and we're here to help".

Nifera frowned, a hand going to the pet around her throat warily "Your earl said as much on the balcony, and you with your Starbird pin. But if you think I'm one of you, you're mistaken. The Collective doesn't support any government".

"And you think the First Order care about what you want?" Sola grumbled under her breath, they had just killed her kriffing Husband, Poe gave the mechanic a stern glance before he spoke up.

"We're not a government" He countered "We're more like..." his gaze traveled to Suralinda who was still caught up in her conversation "A ragtag group of heroes".

Sola snorted and rolled her eyes, "We're just a group of people who are fighting together for a common cause, a good cause" she corrected firmly, surprised by her own spit of passion. 

Nifera pursed her lips, eyes still on Poe, doubtful, "Heroes? I suppose that remains to be seen". 

"Okay" Suralinda spoke up, cutting the transmission as she turned back to face them "I've got coordinates on Wedge's team, but we need to hurry they're on the move".

"And Charth?" Sola asked turning towards the taller woman.

"He'll meet us on the way" Suralinda replied.

"Where are we heading?" Poe asked hands on his hips.

"Corellian engineering corporation" 

Weird for them to house prisoners there, Sola thought as she surveyed the landscape around them nervously for any approaching Stormtroopers. At least the pain in her leg was keeping her alert.

"You know the direction?" Poe said looking to Nifera.

"I do" The woman offered.

"Then let's go" 

They all followed Nifera across the garden, staying close to the shadowy greenery. Sola took up the spot behind Finn, keeping her blaster close and trying not to put too much pressure on her injured leg as to keep her from wincing and anyone from noticing her discomfort.

Suralinda had held Poe back a few paces behind them, when Finn slowed down a step to walk beside her.

"You injured?" He asked, eyes roaming down her frame to rest at the leg she was not quite pressing to the grass below her feet. He had noticed earlier, but hadn't said anything. 

"I'm fine" Came the automatic response from Sola as she ignored his gaze in favour of focusing on walking behind Nifera. She didn't want to think about it, or think at all for that matter.

Finn didn't like that, and took her arm to slow her down "Obviously not, what happened to your leg. Let me-" 

"It's fine, Finn" She said more firmly this time, trying to yank her arm free from his hold unsuccessfully "It's not that bad" she added hoping she was coming across nonchalant enough for him to stop fussing over her. 

"We should tell Poe-"

"No!" Sola glanced behind them to make sure Poe hadn't heard her outburst and let out a sigh "Please, don't tell Poe. It's fine, it's not a big deal" She was pleading now, praying Finn wouldn't inform the commander and cause him anymore worry. They had enough to worry about right now, they didn't have time to stop and tend to her stupid little injuries, it would only slow them down.

"Sola" Finn didn't sound convinced but let her go so they could resume walking amongst the bushes, his eyes lingering over her hobbling leg before he shook his head "Is it bleeding?". When she didn't answer he tried again "At least bandage it with something if it's-".

"Okay, okay, fine" Sola surrendered with a groan. Searching for a piece of fabric she could use she lifted the bottom of her dress and kicked off her heels in frustration. The blood had spread over her whole foot painting almost completely, and the cut was deep and still oozing slightly. The sight made her cringe and feel nauseous, Finn beside her leaning down with a sigh.

"This doesn't look fine" He commented taking off his tie, the pin atop it quickly stuck to his suit jacket, and tying the fabric around the wound as best he could to cover the injury and prevent anymore blood loss. Sola grimaced at the pain, holding back a gasp by biting down on her tongue before picking up her shoes from the grass and carrying them in her free hand. Barefoot would be easier anyway, her feet were staring to ache. 

Poe caught up with them just as they had began walking again. Clapping a hand on Finn's shoulder to make his presence known "You okay?" He was looking down at Sola's bare feet in concern as he spoke, she only shrugged and hoped the bottom of her long red dress hid any of the drying blood.

"Feet just started to hurt, no big deal" Finn gave her a doubtful look that told her she should tell Poe the truth, but she ignored just like the dull drumming pain still aching in her calf. 

"Will you tell me what happened in there now?" Poe meant the hit to her face, she was silently glad he was so focused on it to not have picked up on her more severe injury yet.

"Later" Came Sola's single word reply. 

He didn't need to worry about this too, about any of it. Not of the aching hit, the deep cut that just didn't want to quit bleeding, nor of the way the hysteria had placed itself, rooted itself, right behind her eyes, welling at her throat for a way out the moment she let up for just an ounce to address the course of actions that had just taken place.

The machanic wished silently that she'd had a chance to dance with Finn and Poe at the disastrous party they were now walking away from, that she could've admired and enjoyed the way Poe had looked in his expensive pristine black suit which now hung soaking off his frame. 

She wished many things hadn't gone so terribly wrong tonight, but most of all, she just wished they would make it to Wedge on time and got back to Ryloth, alive.

Don't fall apart yet. She repeated to herself one last time while her hand held onto her small blaster with an iron grip, eyes forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be away and busy moving for the next couple of days so there will be no more chapters until then, I hope everyone is enjoying it so far I can't wait to write more!


	30. Resistance Reborn: Pt. 8: What Love Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting out of Coronet City isn't such an easy task with Sixty Stormtroopers at their heels, especially when Sola decides that throwing her life into the firing line is a good idea.

Love. 

A word which had lost so much of its meaning in time the more it was carelessly used, recycled or disregarded entirely for something it was not.

Some used it as a weapon to take apart even their most sacred treasures while others used it like glue to piece together all the broken things in this world. It could do so much good and yet so much harm all at once, the fear of it, of all the reality it carried with it, had stuck to Sola from the very first time she'd lost part of it in her Mother. It wasn't the type of love she was thinking about as she walked behind Finn and Poe who kept glancing back at her to check she was still there and keeping up with them, but it was a kind of love she held for them too. 

The Resistance had become like family to her in many ways, provided her with kindness, strength, determination, and a passion for something so much larger than any single one of them on their own. She knew family love, and she knew friendship love, but what Sola knew so definitely, so inevitably, was that she would never be able to recognise the romantic kind. 

The kind that love songs were written about, poems, plays, holo-films and statues erected in its honour.

The kind that would most likely tare her apart. Much like it had her father.

The little mechanic from Tatooine, so unsure of herself and her skill, reminded herself each time she glanced at the face of Poe Dameron walking in front of her, that she could never recognise love. Not from him to her, and thus, not in herself to him, or anyone else for that matter. Blinded by so much in the way it could never force its way through to be set in reality.

Perhaps her mind had become numb to it after the years of being laughed at, when she was caught thieving to survive, beaten in a street corner for punishment, only to drag herself back to Gracie and to be laughed at and despised even further every time her broken father saw the splitting image of his deceased wife reflecting back in her beaten features. 

She had lived and loved for Grace and Grace alone for so many years, and even her sister had ended up with eyes of melting steel in her eyes for Sola. 

If anyone ever told the blond to her face, she thought she would probably laugh. Hysterically, maddeningly, euphorically laugh at every idea that accompanied that single word and then convince them as to why such a thing was impossible for her. A waste of time, of space, of the air in their lungs it had taken to even utter the thought in the first place. 

Sola had thought many times about the possibility of loving Poe Dameron and all his reckless passionate glory, thought about kissing him until she couldn't breathe anymore and holding him until all of the stars in the universe faded and became entirely irrelevant.

But Poe wasn't hers, and she did not deserve him even if she wanted him enough to tare her heart from her chest while it lay beating in her palms. 

She had to remind herself what love was supposed to be, how her Mother had described it and inevitably taken it with her to her grave. A shallow grave in a dusty, sandy ravine back on Tatooine where her father, and herself holding her little sister, had stood and wept for several long, exhausting hours until the suns had set in the endless blue sky and they had to track back to their small hut void of words and void of sorrow. 

Love could be torture, and it had hurt from the very first time Poe had asked to kiss her. 

Or maybe it wasn't love at all, maybe she'd just become so infatuated with the curly haired pilot that obsession and dependence had taken the front seat in her body, and instead of ever loving him truly, she would forever be reduced to mind numbing emptiness where a part of his precious heart should be living. 

She did not deserve Poe Dameron of Yavin 4, and with that fact, she did not deserve that sort of love from anybody in her lifetime. A stranger to the concept in many ways, Sola shook her head and took a steadying breath when Poe looked over his shoulder to check on her again. His dark eyes, darker in the evening light, scanning her for a beat that made her fingertips tingle with anticipation before faltering away again when he turned to Finn to say something inaudible.

They'd kissed yes, and laughed, and played, and pretended. But a kiss was just a kiss, and it could be just as easily handed out as the deception of love. 

You could pay for that pleasure too, but Sola doubted she'd ever have enough credits in the galaxy to pay for Poe's affections in kisses or any sort of love. Nor would she want to ever do such a thing in the first place. It was forever out of her reach, priceless.

She needed to accept that. Like she'd accepted her parents demise, how she'd accepted Grace was gone. How she accepted she would most likely be only ever good for fixing broken things, and how she accepted that she could never give nor take another person's heart in its entirety. 

Sola ran a thumb over the ring still around her finger, one she had yet to return to the chain around Poe's neck. It would be the closest she'd ever get to Poe's love.

Her leg ached again when she applied too much pressure to it in a step by accident, grimacing for a beat before she pressed her hand over the covered wound under her dress to ease the pounding heat beneath her skin. Sola hoped by now the blood had stopped, or at least slowed down to take less of an effect on her body. But again when she took her hand away from her fine dress, a dark streak of crimson liquid waved back at her like sun on a warm morning as it peaked through the curtains by the window. It wasn't a pleasant sign in contrast, but it was the only one she could come up with as she staggered and quickly regained her footing before anyone could notice.

How much blood had she lost already? How much did she need to lose until she couldn't hold her blaster steady any longer, or was able to walk for that matter? 

An image of Liz and her curly mass of hair flashed through her mind unexpectedly, the image making her smile, reminding her of her first ever friend in the world and the words the medic told her back on D'Qar when Sola had revealed to her the struggle with the warm red substance. She was sure it was about a litre or two until it hindered her severely...or was it more than that? 

The mechanic wasn't sure, but hoped it would be the larger quantity, so that she could hide the injury for longer until it could cause any real damage to their objective. Surviving this wasn't her priority any longer, ensuring Poe, Finn, Suralinda and the rest of the Resistance members on their missions made it back to Ryloth alive and well, was.

"We're meeting near the shipping yard, looks like Wedge's transport shuttle is to small to carry everyone, they picked up more prisoners than previously planned" Suralinda spoke as they neared the ocean, Charth having met them not long after they'd manage to find their way out of the gardens, it was so close now Sola could taste the salt in the air with every breath, she wondered if the ships would smell of the sea too. 

They made it into the area, alarms blaring around them loudly, unrelenting and making her brain pound in her ears. "Where are they?" Sola croaked, surprised at the own strain in her voice that made Poe throw her a worried look that she shrugged off.

"Can't be far, these are the coordinates they told us to meet" The pilot mumbled, all of them wary even with the lack of First Order patrols around, the alarm blaring wasn't exactly a comforting sound. 

They waited for what seemed hours, but couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes, each keeping their eyes trained for any danger around them.

"There!" Finn spotted figures in the distance, and with a slight squint Sola made out the form of Wedge and Nora in the darkness. 

As soon as Poe recognised the figures too, he hurried over and embraced the older man, the rest of them jogging after him. Finn was the only one who slowed his pace a beat to ensure Sola kept up behind them all. Her whole leg had gone numb, the pain still throbbing but dull. Everything was becoming warm.

"We sure are glad to see you" Poe said "thought we lost our ride for a while there" the pilot grinned, relief etched into his features.

"What happened?" The greying man asked.

"First Order caught wind of the auction and raided the party" The curly haired pilot explained "shut down the port and weren't letting anyone out".

The scene of the battle between the First Order Stormtroopers and the panicked party guests flashed to her mind, her head lowering to mumble words to herself only Finn caught briefly "Not alive anyway..."

"We lost Charth's ship" Poe was still speaking and Sola glanced around to Finn who was looking down at her. He was still worried about her injury, determined to mention it as soon as they boarded the shuttle if Sola failed to do so on her own. She could tell from his eyes he wouldn't ignore it so easily like she was trying to do. And if he were in her place, she would do the exact same thing for Finn.

"It's a small thing" Charth said, seeming not to care too much about the lost ship, "we got what we came for".

"The list?" Nora asked.

Poe motioned to Nifera, who had been hanging back as if taking in the scene, she looked nervous, unsure, much more than she had coming out of that pond in her gardens. 

"This is Nifera Shu, she has the list. We get her off planet, she gives us the list" 

Nifera nodded in acknowledgment, petting the serpent like creature curled tightly around her neck. Sola wandered if that wasn't uncomfortable.

"Do you know there's a water serpent around your neck?" Naj, the ex-imperial trooper who had accompanied Wedge and Nora on their mission asked, one hand around a rifle on her broad back and the other resting by her side.

Nifera smiled "Yes".

"Okay..." The Ex-imperial raised her hand in innocence, raised eyebrow evening out "Just checking".

"Everyone accounted for" Nora pipped up again "Time to get the hell off this planet".

"Ideas on how to do that?" Poe mused looking around them.

"Stormtroopers ahead!" Snap told them appearing close by.

Because of course there were. Sola ushered a quiet curse under her breath, hand again finding her wound and pressing down hard in frustration, and in hopes it may help in some way. It didn't. Instead the intense burn made her hiss and turn her head away.

"How many!?" Poe asked frowning deeply.

"Sixty, maybe more, they're guarding the entrance to the shipyard" The bearded man said, slightly out of breath.

Poe grimaced "As if we were expected?" 

The mechanic looked up at that, frowning in turn at the realisation that yes, this was the second time today the First Order had been one step ahead of them. It was unnerving and couldn't be a coincidence. Her fist tightened around her blaster.

"Our luck was bound to run out" Wedge said "Yama!" he called over his shoulder to someone. A young girl, no older than fifteen joined them, standing close to Naj. She looked grim, bruises littered her face, as well as gashes, a split lip, and clothes riddled with dirt and some dried blood. The poor girl been beaten recently, and the sight made anger boil Sola's veins. The sight reminded her of her youth, no child deserved that treatment.

"Is there another way around?" Wedge asked the girl.

"We can go through the building" Her voice was small and timid as she pointed her thumb back towards the skytower the group with her had passed "The halls are narrow, and there's a lift to the checkpoint".

"So our best bet is entering here" Wedge said to Poe, filling in the blanks "only, we need a way to get past the troopers".

"Create a distraction" Nora offered, and Sola looked up at the older woman curiously "Wedge and I can lead them off, while the rest of you get through".

"No guarantee they'll follow you" Snap said, already looking worried at this plan. This was his mother and step-father after all, he had all the right in the world to be worried over their safety if they wanted to draw a legion of troopers to their attention. 

"We'll make it worth their while" Nora said with hard eyes and determination, she was a veteran at this. At war. "We'll go in the way Yama said, we'll make a lot of noise, make them think we're bringing in the prisoners that way".

"Mom!" 

"We only need to split them, if we can get even half of them to follow us"

"That's still two against thirty!" Snap countered loudly.

"Three" Sola's voice was quiet, so soft, no one to heard her words, she cleared her throat to try again. 

"Snap, it's not a bad idea" Poe said, voice gentle, understanding of his friends worry.

"Then I'll go" Snap replied sternly, clearly still not impressed.

"Son" Wedge hadn't spoken yet, letting the debate play out. But now he did, picking his words with care, "We can do this, Nora and I. You get the prisoners out of here. Find us a transport big enough for everyone" 

Snap's face brightened, "maybe that blockade runner?" He said thoughtfully.

"A man after my own mind, you think you can fly it?" 

"Oh yeah" And then his face fell, as if remembering the plan "What about you and Mom?" 

"We'll be okay" Wedge assured him. 

"Three" Again the mechanic spoke up, this time loud enough to for heads to turn in her direction "Three against thirty" she clarified after spotting the confused looks from Wedge, Nora, and Poe. "I'll go too" She added giving a firm nod "I'm a decent shot, and I like those odds better". She could feel Finn at her side frowning, ready to speak up and deny her the action because of her injury, but the blond quickly caught his wrist in a tight grip. Begging him silently to let her do this, that this was her decision. 

She wanted to do something useful, and if it was something reckless and idiotic. Then she could at least say she'd learned it from Poe.

Poe who was frowning at her now "Sola-" he began to warn, turning in her direction but she quickly held up her hand holding the blaster and shook her head to cut him off.

"I'm going, they need all the help they can get" Even nervous and scared, she needed to do something. Anything to distract herself from the cracking of her sanity and not feel useless, injured or not, she'd give those troopers hell in order to get her friends out of this mess. It it were the last thing she'd do.

Finn surprisingly stayed quiet, though he did sigh in irritation. No one else argued, and a silent agreement was made of the plan.

A sandstorm of emotions passed over Snap's face as he stared at Wedge, he clearly wanted to protest, but didn't. Snap instead pressed his lips together until they were thin and white, and nodded once before turning away. 

"Okay!" Poe said, breaking the tension, another doubtful look going to Sola as if he were ready to drag her with him for a second, before he continued "Go, we'll make our move when we see the troopers split" he thumped Wedge on the shoulder.

"See you on the other side".

Sola tried not to take that statement deeper into her heart than was necessary. 

The plan worked almost too well, it seemed like almost all of the sixty troopers Snap had spotted had now followed Wedge, Nora and Sola and were firing at them. From their slight advantage on the top of a winding ramp, they could see the entire hanger spread out before them as they fired back behind their cover made from heavy metal desks they'd hurried together. 

Blaster fire shot past her ears and whipped her hair from it's already loosened hold, strands sticking to her sweaty forehead and cheeks as the three of them tried to stand their ground against he barrage of deadly troopers. 

"How long do you think we can hold?" Wedge spoke from her left, in between her and Nora. 

"Long as we need to" Nora said between gritted teeth, leaning out to take a few more shots.

"And then what?" He asked, both woman looking back at him. Even Sola had to admit that she was doubting this a little, her blaster was overheating in her sweaty palms, and she was sure she'd run out of shots very soon after having already wasted so many back at the party.

"Guess this is what I get for wanting to be a hero" Wedge laughed, but not because it was funny. 

"Since when have you wanted to be a hero?!" Nora scoffed rolling her eyes. 

"I think hero's are overrated" Sola interjected, flashing Wedge who looked at her as she learned out to fire a few shots, a strained but genuine smile on her face. She'd always looked up to heroes, painted them in such an unattainable light that they existed in a realm out of their reach. But they weren't, they were just people, brave, stupid, kind people who wanted to do the right thing. "Being alive, fighting for something, for my friends" Her thoughts flashed to Lizzy, Rose, Finn and Poe, the smile on her face saddening as she crouched back under cover a shot skimming her head "I don't mind being a nobody if I get to do that". 

Other people were much better suited for the spotlight, Sola had only ever wanted to do her best, recognition had never played a role in any of it. 

"Thanks for coming with us Kid" Wedge said after a beat of silence between the two, and he meant it.

"There!" Nora cut him off, both Wedge and Sola turning and peering out into the hanger at her shout.

Snap and the rest of his team were leading the prisoners with a run through the hanger, splitting off into two. Naj and Charth leading the weak and injured to the imperial shuttle where Kare ushered them inside. The rest of the team, including Finn, Nifera and Snap headed for the big blockade runner. 

Everyone was accounted for...except.

"Poe?!" Sola's frantic eyes searched the hanger for his distant figure, wincing when a blaster fire skimmed past her cheek close enough to leave a faint cut that should've made her duck back down for cover but didn't.

"Where's Poe and Suralinda?" Wedge asked pulling Sola from her shock and back down to cover.

"They can take care of themselves" Nora said firmly "keep shooting, we're almost out. But we're not there yet!"

She didn't need to be told twice, and with a breath to steady herself fired another round of fire that hit a few arms and shoulders before finally, her weapon went dead. Dropping the burning metal, Sola growled in frustration before hurling it over the makeshift barrier at a trooper in her anger.

"I'm out!" the mechanic yelled to the pair to make sure they heard, slumping back down with her back leaned against the barrier. Her body felt sore and tired now, drained not only of exhaustion but from the blood which had now found it's way under her foot and painted a red line as she straightened her legs out from under her with a hiss through clenched teeth.

Wedge took aim again at her side as soon as she ducked down for cover, aiming for a trooper that had advanced before his weapon clicked to indicate that he too had ran out. He muttered a curse and dropped it, reaching back for his spare. 

It was too late, and blaster fire collided with his arm. 

He cried out, falling back and grasping a hand over the spot where he'd been hit. "Wedge!" Nora crawled over to him desperately, only looking out fast enough to take out the trooper that had shot him before she was at his side, helping him up on one shoulder while Sola crawled over to prop him up by his other shoulder as best she could. It was getting hard to focus now, hard to sit up. The blood loss had finally taken its toll on her.

"Are you okay?!" 

Wedge shook his head, tears of pain coming to his eyes. The injury was ugly, flashing white bone and burning flesh at her eyes when Sola dared to take a look "Y-You're gonna be okay" the mechanic mumbled quickly looking away and down at him.

"Hurts like bastard" He grunted out.

"I bet" Nora probed gently at the burned material and charred death, a grimace slipping over her face before it was gone just as quickly.

"That bad?" Wedge gritted before looking to Sola who's breath had become more ragged and strained since she'd drawn closer to help. He was sure it wasn't just from the sight of his injury alone. "You too?" He asked frowning, looking over her in her torn dress and disheveled state for any sign of a blaster shot.

"Why didn't you sa-" Nora was looking up at her when Sola shook her head, trying to wave off the pairs concerned looks.

"It's nothing, happened earlier. I-I can bare it" She muttered peeling back one side of her dress to reveal where the cut lay. Finn's tie hadn't done much good, it too had become soaked through with the red liquid and had slipped down several inches to reveal the top of the deep gash. Sola grimaced at the sight of it all, taking in the bottom half of her leg enveloped in blood before quickly covering it again. 

"You should have went with them" Wedge concluded grimly, before he looked back at Nora "And it's my shooting arm too" he turned to glance at his arm again before leaning his head back. The situation was becoming more dire by the second.

"Well, it's about time you get ambidextrous husband" Nora slipped Wedge's backup blaster from it's holster and slapped it into his good hand before both woman turned him and propped him up, leaning just slightly over the barrier of desks. 

His aim was terrible. 

"I-I can-"

Nora shook her head as she crawled back to her positions, cutting off the younger woman who could barely sit upright anymore. Her vision was becoming blurry and she was sure she saw double the amount of stormtroopers when she managed to peek over the desks. "No, focus on staying awake instead".

"Wedge" Nora's voice held a warning as she spotted her husbands gaze becoming weaker "No passing out, both of you".

"Wouldn't dream of it" He grunted back "But Nora, if I can't stay on my feet I want you to-" he swallowed, and Sola dreaded the words she would have to obey to herself, "I want you to-"

"Don't even say it" Nora growled "We're in this together, you stay, I stay" 

Sola imagined Poe saying those words to her and smiled to herself in her dazed mind. She was sure he'd be furious if he saw her now, furious and worried in a way that made his thick eyebrows crease together. Oh, but to see that face of his again, what she wouldn't give to simply see his honey eyes, his pointed lips and stubbled chin. To hold his warm hand in her own, fitting together like puzzle pieces. She glanced down at her bloody hands at the thought and let out a breathy chuckle at the ridiculousness of it all.

"We make a run for it together or we don't go at all" Nora's voice cut through her daze.

"But-"

"Done talking!"

Wedge smiled, one that reached his eyes "I love you".

"Good! Now stay alive!"

Nora's words right there, were the closest phrase to love that Sola could have ever conjured up, so drastic but so different to the three word phrase Wedge had muttered but just as powerful and meaningful in their own right. She never new one could portray such a thing. Those two people loved each other, and her heart broke for the situation they had found themselves in. Maybe if she weren't injured she could've helped them better, carried Wedge to safety herself or covered them on their escape. Clenching her hands into fists, Sola took a few shaking breaths to try and calm herself. 

They didn't deserve this, the two veterans had fought their war already, they'd lost enough and to lose each other?! 

Love was dangerous.

"I'm...I'm so, so sorry I couldn't be of more help" Sola mumbled glancing at Nora and Wedge in turn, sadness glistened in her eyes she was not able to hide, "I should've-"

"You did your best" Nora spared her a small sympathetic look before glancing at Wedge, her gaze holding a thousand unsaid words, "That's all any of us can do".

The older woman was right of course, but Sola still felt like she'd made too many mistakes for it to do much to help the doubt in her mind. 

At least Poe, Finn, and the rest of them had made it out alive. They were safe, and that had been her main goal from the start. Sola could die happy, knowing they were still breathing because of something she was a part of, no matter how small.

The wall beside them exploded, dust and fallen stone torn free from the interior wall of the building falling beside them, making Sola hold up her arms over her face to try and shield herself as the dust blinded her and made her cough and splutter. The bottom half of her body had become numb now, she couldn't feel her toes but she pushed that problem aside for another side.

The sound of firing continued, but this time, it was a big gun. Not a Stormtroopers rifle but instead one of the Starfighters in the hanger! 

"What the-" Wedge dragged himself up in time to spot the ship mowing down the remaining Stormtroopers out of Sola's sight. She could hear the bodies dropping however, and the sound of fire becoming less and less.

"Poe better cut it out or he's gonna bring this building down on us too" Nora said as she came to Wedge's side. She had a point.

"Do you think you can walk?" Nora asked the man who nodded in return, before turning her head down to Sola. "You?"

"I.." She tried to move her toes, but they only twitched lightly even that she could not feel. But it was something, "I can try" Sola frowned but used her arms as well as Nora's help to stumble to her feet. Determination burned in her veins, or whatever was left of it at this point.

Her thigh ached once more, but duller, and her vision was clouded with black spots around the edges that pestered her like a swarm of angry flies. She could stand however, and took that as a good sign.

"I did not see that coming" Wedge laughed.

"Poe tends to do that" The mechanic gave a strained smile to the man.

"Talk about it once we're on board" Nora rolled her eyes, helping Sola gently with one arm around her waist while the three of them made their way down the now empty ramp. 

Every few steps her legs would wobble a little more, her bare bloody feet slipping on the cool metal floor while Nora tried to keep her steady. Sola was sure she'd end up falling out her nose with every step, but somehow magically avoided it each time, the credit for that went to Nora.

"Stay awake" Nora reminded her, worried at the red footprint trail the younger woman was leaving behind her with every move. 

They raced along the hanger as fast as they could, expecting more trouble. But the fighter hovered nearby to provide them with cover. Snap was there to greet them as they reached the ramp of the blockade runner, his face clouded over as he took in Sola's and Wedge's wound.

"My own fault" Wedge said with a tight jaw.

"I'm just glad you're okay, Dad" 

Something akin to joy passed over Wedge's face at that word, and Sola wondered if Snap had ever called his Step-Father 'Dad' before, "I'm great Son, just great".

Sola was breathing so shallow, so strained she almost missed Nora speaking up from their reunion, her face had become so sweat drenched and strained Sola had to fight to keep her head upright "We need to get her to-".

The mechanic collapsed against Nora, Snap taking a quick step forward to catch her before she could fall completely. Her leg had betrayed her in the end, holding onto Snap's arm as they dragged her aboard the ship "What happened!?" he asked panicked.

"She lost a lot of blood, not from a blaster" Nora replied trying to remain calm as they sat her down as carefully as they could. Snap hesitated to check where the blood was coming from when he spotted the bottom of the blond's foot, so Nora took it upon herself to push away the frantic of the long dress to reveal it to him. "We need to get to a medical facility, get me the med-kit" Snap was on his feet grabbing the bag and handing it to his mother who peeled away the tie from around the younger woman's leg to reveal the gash.

Sola caught the look of horror and worry on her face and chuckled breathlessly, barely conscious at that point. She wasn't quite sure what was real anymore. Was that cursed blaring alarm in the hanger still going or was the imaging it?

"Stay awake do you hear me!?" Nora pulled forth whatever equipment would help, pulling the cut tightly together, which resulted in a loud cry from Sola, before she placed a bachata patch on top and began wrapping it in as many layers of bandages as she could manage "This won't hold long, and it won't replace the lost blood" she commented while she worked, giving Sola tap to the cheek to try and get her attention.

"I-Is Poe...alright?" Sola just about managed to croak out when she felt the cold finger on her cheek, head dropping forward momentarily before someone pushed it back agains the wall of the ship. She was sure it was Nora's hand, but couldn't be sure.

Even in her brush against deaths door, with blood so far gone yet so close as it stuck to her skin like a second layer, nothing but Poe's kind eyes were flashing through her mind. Sola hadn't seen him yet, and until she did her mind would scream at her in panic for his safety.

"We're leaving atmosphere, Suralinda is holding off anyone following, we're going to a safe house" Snap commented, Finn appearing by his side when he heard the commotion and leaning down to press a hand to her forehead.

"She's burning up!" the former Trooper said to Nora who was crouched down in front of her. 

From the heat that had been creeping up on her body the second she'd sustained the injury, Sola could've told him that hours ago.

"What...what about Ryloth?!" She caught the word safe house instead of their initial safe place in Ryloth and panicked for a second before Nora shook her head and ushered Snap away. 

"First Order found us there, we made a deal with Nifera, everyone is safe. Just focus on breathing and staying awake" Finn said quickly.

With that knowledge alone, relieved, Sola smiled to herself and passed out cold.


	31. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately, love isn't easy.

Beep, beep.

A low hum followed in the background of the heart monitor strapped over her heart, quietly lulling Sola to her senses one sound at a time until it all combined to tell her where she was. In a small room with run down medical equipment, a large bacta-covering over her leg, and harsh grey and brown sheets and blankets around and under her frame. Unfocused eyes adjusted to the dim light after a minute of her squinting and trying to make out the room. 

Lizzy greeted her sights, the young woman sitting to her right on a crate as she stared down at her own lap deep in thought. 

"When-" Sola coughed, not expecting for her throat to be this dry and covered her mouth for a moment as Lizzy's eyes snapped up "when did you make it back?" she rasped only to be cut off by a bone crushing hug that made the whole bed frame shake.

"Thank the Force" The dark haired woman breathed, staying there for a long moment while Sola tried to return the hug, arms restrained by needles and tubes connected to her, and mind still in the process of waking up. She was thankful however, to see her friend alive and well.

"I got back just before you landed" Liz finally began to explain, sitting back on the edge of the bed as she pushed back the hair from Sola's face and smiled through tears of relief at her. She looked older now, more worn. Lizzy had grown a lot in her time away, Sola hoped only that it wasn't through any suffering or loss "Next time try not to almost die on me before we see each other alright?" 

The mechanic gave a weak smile at that and nodded, as much as she had been content to die for a cause, she'd much rather stay alive to see that bright breathtaking grin on Lizzy's face one last time.

Seeing her struggle with her arms, Lizzy began gently removing the needles and monitors from her friend, keeping the one that supplied her with water and antibiotics, shutting off the machines and handing her a glass of water the mechanic easily gulped down. 

"Where are we?" She was trying hard to think of the last words Snap, Nora and Finn had spoken to her before she blacked out, but all she remembered was Nora's fingers on her face and a pain in her leg.

"Safe house, Outer Rim somewhere, I've never been here myself" Lizzy shrugged running a hand through her unruly hair "I should go, Poe wanted to see you as soon as you woke up" 

The mention of the pilot made Sola look up from her glass as she placed it down on the table beside her bed, it creaked under the shifting of her weight to indicate its age. "Poe?" 

"Yeah, he carried you in here wouldn't let anyone else touch you until the doctors arrived" Lizzy nodded, chuckling to herself at the memory of the distraught man. He nearly punched Snap in the face when he had tried to drag Sola from the ship unceremoniously.

"He did that..." Sola shuffled in her bed, unsure of how she should think about that. 

"I'll be back later to check up on you, don't get up, don't put pressure on that leg and- you know what, don't even touch it" Were the taller woman's final words before she patted her friends shoulder and exited the room to find the Commander.

It didn't take Commander Dameron long to barge into the room, luckily not violently enough to break anything while he pushed open the old wooden door to stare at her for several long moments while she held her breath.

"You-"

"I know" Sola cut him off softly, looking around the room as if to gather the right words up from thin air, "but I'm okay..." she assured finally while Poe stepped into the room and shut the door behind him with a loud sigh through parted lips drawn in a thin line. He looked both stressed and relieved by the sight of her.

The Commander sat himself wordlessly on the bed where Lizzy had previously sat, toying with the blanket over her legs between his fingertips before finally looking at her face fully. Sola couldn't read whatever emotion was strewn over his features, but she knew it wasn't all happiness. 

"Poe-"

"No" It was his turn to cut her off, his voice firm but low as his eyes scanned over her face, over the small mark on her cheek and the grimace he reflected back at her. 

The mechanic bit her lip and shut up entirely to let him voice whatever was going on inside his mind. She owed him that much.

"What you did" he began finally, "was reckless" his hand found hers on the bed, gently tracing her nimble fingers while she shuddered from the warm, alien touch. It had felt like years since Poe had touched her at all.

"I know..."

"No, I don't think you do know" In an instant his hand was gone and he frowned down at her instead, shaking his head and running his hand through his hair with an air of disbelief forming around him "You could've gotten yourself- could've gotten all of us killed do you know that?!" Poe's voice was rising with each harsh syllable that cut though her bone like a rusty saw, there to imbed its harsh realisations into her body without mercy.

"I know why you did it, but you shouldn't have! If you had collapsed earlier, or in the middle of the fight" Poe cut himself off as he stood, pacing the room with his hands gesturing madly "Nora and Wedge couldn't have dragged you back, they would've died trying!" He turned to glare at her, the venomous look in his eyes making the blond shrink back in her bed and turn her teary eyes away to stare down at her lap in shame.

"Or in the gardens, you know damn well Finn and I would not have left you behind, even if it slowed us down. He told me you made him promise not to tell me, do you know how stupid that is?!" He was almost yelling now, each word sinking deeper into her skin, tears threatening her eyes she pleaded for him to take no notice of. As much as it hurt to hear, she deserved the punishment, especially from Commander Dameron. 

"Out there on that mission, on any mission for the Resistance you're a soldier. You tell us when you get injured so we can take care of it before it gets worse and so we know what to prepare for".

He was right of course, with every single word he was right, but still "I didn't want to-"

"Be a bother, a burden?!" The pilot stepped closer, hands thumping hard into the thin mattress beneath her, bringing wide blue eyes to snap up at him in surprise. 

Somehow, the way he had spat those words reminded her of somebody else she'd never wanted to compare Poe Dameron to. 

Sola flinched, and he noticed.

Yet that look in his eyes, the one that carried so much weight. So much fury. It scared her for just a split second and dried her mouth out like she'd been swallowing sand for the last hour.

"It's a little late for that, Sweetheart" 

The words stung. A lot. Especially with that harsh glare in his eyes, unwavering and so characteristically stubborn as he leaned over the bed towards her to emphasise his point and ensure she couldn't run from them.

"I'm sorry" Was all Sola managed to choke out before Poe huffed, straightened and stormed his way out of the room with a single utter under his breath that shattered her aching heart into a million little pieces.

"Yeah, me too".

And he was gone.

The sobs started out quiet, silent, soft. But grew as seconds passed until they were wretched and ugly, rocking the mechanic's recovering body back and forth with every heaving heavy breath. A hand covered her mouth to muffle her pitiful cries, ashamed to have succumbed to them in the first place. 

Sorrow, regret, shame. Every single one of them raked through her brain, making her regret every single action on Corellia including agreeing to going in the first place. She'd warned Poe, and he had trusted her regardless. Trusted her to follow orders, to remain honest. She had broken that trust, lied to him, and made Finn lie to him too. 

Thick tears clouded her vision, everything becoming blurry as more fell past her hand, down her chin and onto the sheets wordlessly. It hurt every time she managed to drag an inhale of breath into her lungs, and her throat and jaw ached at every gasp.

"Sola?" 

It was Rose at the door, Lizzy right behind her while the pair entered the room quietly. They'd probably heard her from down the hall, or spotted Poe stomping past. Whichever option it was, they'd made their way here together with a quick pace.

Another heaving sob of guilt kept the answer stuck in her throat, shaking her head as she covered her face with her hands and let herself fall back into the hard pillow. She wasn't sure if she was glad or horrified her two friends had come to find her like this, what she did know, was that she wished no one would see her cry like this. 

"What happened Sola? Poe looked pissed" Rose shot Lizzy a frown before the maintenance worker sat herself on the crate beside the bed and reached a light hand onto the un-injured leg to make sure Sola knew she was there. Lizzy instead took up her space on the bed once more, reaching out to try and pry her friends hand from her face, holding them in her strong hands and inspecting the mess of tears, snot and pain her youthful face had become.

"Did he hurt you?" Liz probed again, careful not to step into a territory that might cause her more pain.

"No" Came a weak but quick reply, shaking her head as she stared down at the soothing circle Lizzy's thumbs were drawing over her shaking hands "No, he hates me...which is worse" Somehow she wished he had hurt her in the way Lizzy had implied, it would make it easier. Would make all of this easier. 

Physical pain had always been easier to deal with than any mental torture, at least to Sola. 

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you" Rose spoke up, squeezing her leg as she shuffled closer to place another hand on the bed. Rose remembered the conversation the two had back on Ryloth about this sort of thing, about the doubt Sola held within her about the Commander's affections, or lack thereof. 

"I should've told him" Another hiccup and Sola squeezed her eyes together tightly to try and stop any further tears from spilling forth. Unsuccessfully, they trailed down her rosy cheeks without care. "About being hurt, about my-" she stopped and looked up at Lizzy who was still eying her carefully. Deep brown eyes understanding and patient. 

What had she done to deserve friends such as these?

"I killed people" She confessed regretfully, eyes slowly dropping again to become unfocused and glazes over with the memory of the Stormtroopers in Coronet City. How her brain had switched itself off to focus on nothing but keeping back the horde of First Order troopers in order to survive. She knew it wasn't a crime to fight for survival, especially not in war. 

But the thought of ending those lives-

Sola choked and slapped a hand over her mouth to try and keep down the bile that rose in her throat. Lizzy quickly ushered to Rose, pointing at the small trash can in the corner of the room, as soon as it was pressed under the mechanic's nose she let loose whatever contents her stomach had held onto. 

"It's okay" The medic rubbed Sola's shoulder while she heaved, Rose holding back her hair dutifully, "It's war Sola, you did what you had to".

"You fought for the people you loved Sola" Rose tucked some more hair behind her ears as she spoke "Nobody can hold that against you".

'I can', Sola thought wordlessly, throwing up some more disgusting liquids before she wiped her mouth and pushed away the bin which Lizzy sat down beside the bed quickly.

"They were just people" The blond croaked glancing at Rose, looking past her at everything she too had lost in this war, and then back at Lizzy who had to grow so much to cope and had most likely lost just as much as all of them had. "Brainwashed, damaged, people and I-"

"And we'll need to kill more of them to bring peace to the Galaxy" A deeper voice, Finn's appeared in the room. A deep frown etched into his dark brow as he entered the small space. "We fight for the Resistance, for freedom, for people" he continued voice unwavering even while Sola stared up at him helplessly.

"I used to be one of em, but I made my choice, and they made theirs. It's not fair" he took a breath and nodded to himself, telling her he understood the unjustness of it all, "But it's how it is, and there's nothing we can do but try to end this all".

"Poe's angry" Finn said after a long moment of silence where no one dared to speak out against the truth lingering in the room. The mention of the Commander's name made the mechanic turn her eyes away again, ashamed to have to face it.

"But he'll come around, he was just worried. Pissed when I told him I knew..." Finn rubbed the back of his neck, ashamed in his own part of the small deception before he gave Sola's shoulder a pat "You should try talking to him once he cools down".

"He shouldn't have yelled at her" Lizzy interjected, frowning at how easy Finn seemed to be taking the Commanders heated argument with the blond. "He obviously did, with how she was crying and shaking" she clarified once Finn raised an eyebrow to her in question. It wasn't hard to spot a coping mechanism when an action reminded someone of a traumatic event, Sola had experienced her fair share of them already.

"Where is he I wanna give him a piece of my mind" The irritated medic stood now, only halted by a hand from Rose and a sigh from Finn.

"I-It's fine Lizzy, he had all the right to-"

"Explode on you like that? No, he didn't. Angry, sure, hurt, yes. But me and Rose heard him from down the hall Sola, does he know your-" She bit back her words and sighed instead, a hand coming to squeeze Sola's before she made her way from the room "I'm finding him with or without your help Finn".

Finn who looked conflicted on wanting to stay to talk to Sola further, or go to help Lizzy, decided on the alternative that meant he could intervene in case things got ugly. Following Lizzy, he gave Sola a small nod of acknowledgement before he left with the dark haired medic.

"I...I'm glad you're alright. You and Lizzy and everybody. Is the General okay? And Rey and-"

Rose let out a small laugh and nodded at Sola's concern "We're all fine, we lost one Pilot and Charth's sister though" her face turned sour for a moment as she thought back on the battle on Ryloth, on the First Order invasion of the base between the canyon before shaking her head.

"You should rest, you lost a lot of blood, you probably can't stand for another day or two" Rose suggested slowly rising to her feet.

"Sounds like fun..." Somehow the thought of sleep was the furthest thing from her mind right now. Whatever haunted her was now living there, and since Poe had voiced his disappointments, it looked like they'd also made their way into the real world. Sighing, more tired than she had realised, Sola looked up at Rose who gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I'll get BB-8 to wake you up later how does that sound?" 

The mention of the little orange and white droid made Sola's spirits lift, the thought of seeing his little energetic self making her grin and nod eagerly "That sounds great, thank you. Do you think they still have tools to-"

"No, you're not going to fix up anything until you're better" Rose tutted, chuckling to herself before heading for the door. Be a cause of course Sola's first thought would be to start working on the droids in her vicinity, the girl just couldn't help herself. 

"Poe will come around" The smaller woman added on her way out, sparing a glance over her shoulder as she held the door open with one hand "he cares about you a lot, that's why he's so hurt".

Sola was alone again when the door shut softly behind Rose. Her eyes scanned the dull bland ceiling for anything to focus on, to keep her wondering mind occupied. A scratch, a mark, a splatter of paint, a comfort of imperfection that never came, there was nothing and she sighed instead and shut her eyes.

As much as she craved to see the pilot right now. To explain and apologise over and over until she could work on making it better. Sola was also scared to face Poe Dameron. To witness the fury in his eyes, and most of all, the painful hurt in his gaze that made her want to fling herself into the vacuum of space so he could forget he'd ever met her and never have to worry about the idiot mechanic from Tatooine ever again. If she could take it all back, she would. Every mistake, and every interaction with Poe that had brought him closer and closer into her life until she couldn't imagine it without him. Perhaps then this would all hurt a lot less, and wouldn't leave her heart aching in her chest until Sola placed a hand over it to try and sooth it.

What does one do when faced with the inevitable surrender of common sense and realistic expectation? One that consumes you so thoroughly, so entirely, until the thoughts in your hear warp the reality around you until the only thing that was quite real was the air in your lungs and the beating of your heart. And nothing else.

You hide. 

That's what Sola did, a soon as she woke up the next morning, BB-8 greeting her loudly once he managed to push open the door after a slight struggle. Sola Naberrie tittered onto her unsure feet, using a small wooden crutch to keep the pressure off of her leg and the stitches in tact. She wondered through the small building away from the bed that cemented her location, one hidden under ground and mostly made of old stone and wood. Unsure of how big it really was, she walked slowly until she came across the small hanger stuffed with a couple of Resistance Starfighters. It looked like any larger transport shuttles wouldn't quite fit, so instead they'd hid the more noticeable, smaller ships, within the compound. 

None of the pilots seemed to be around, a couple of maintenance workers working on a damaged A-Wing in the corner while Sola made her way across to an X-Wing. She was sure both Rose and Lizzy would surely throw her back into bed if they had spotted her here, or anywhere that wasn't that itchy old bed. So for now she hoped she could hide amongst the ships, though with BB-8 loudly at her heels she doubted anyone could ignore her for long.

"Alright, I promise I'll go back soon buddy" The blond muttered turning her head to the droid as he wheeled round in front of her and came to a stop, he'd been complaining the whole way that this was not a good idea, and that he should retrieve Poe or Finn to get her back to rest. Up until now it had all been words luckily, and she hoped it would remain that way for a little longer.

"Now please, show me that damaged rear engine, I'm sure I can fix it standing up" BB stared at her as if contemplating for a beat, letting out a long low beep that mimicked a sigh, before he rolled off to another ship and pointed at the back of the X-Wing. Clearly the back of the ship had been hit by some kind of blaster fire, several pieces of it's metal exterior were singed and bent. 

"Perfect, could you get me some tools? I can't really carry anything..." The astromech didn't even wait for her to finish her sentence before he was gone with a happy chirp that made her giggle and roll her eyes.

As soon as a wrench and screwdriver were in her hand, curtesy of a swift and efficient BB-8, Sola began the repairs of the Starfighter to the best of her abilities. It was still difficult to balance on her legs, needing to lean heavily on the ship to keep the pressure off while she fought to wrench open a panel and see the damage inside. "Doesn't look too bad in here BB" she muttered down at the droid watching her carefully. 

Tying her hair into a ponytail with a spare piece of wire, the idea having been brought to her mind when she remembered Rose had done the same thing in the past, Sola set to work. A build up of carbon scoring being her worst enemy as she tried to scrub away the grime, only to loose the grip on her tool half way through her task. It clattered to the solid floor loudly, resulting in a curse as Sola leaned out from the hole in the ship to glare down at it in frustration.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, I don't know...resting, recovering?" A hand snatched the wrench from the floor before she could even begin to try and lean down to retrieve it herself. The face of Poe greeted her when she looked up at who had taken it, who now toyed with it in his hands as he stared at her expectantly.

Words caught under her clenched jaw, eyes quickly falling away from his face in favour of inspecting the ship by her side with a shrug. 

How could she face him right now?   
Wasn't he still mad at her?! He'd practically yelled at her face that she was a bothersome burden on him, on the Resistance. 

"You shouldn't be walking around Sola" Poe stated more firmly this time, he had failed to return the tool to her and she was beginning to doubt he ever would.

"And don't you have better things to do than baby me?" The mechanic grumbled turning to him stubbornly and making a grab for the old wrench. 

Poe held is easily out of her reach, raising it first and when she tried to bounce for it, quickly hid it behind his back out of her reach. Well, unless she wanted to practically lean into him to try again. He only frowned deeper at her defiant attempts, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her steady when she swayed on her good leg, before he retracted it just as quickly.

"I get it, nobody likes bedrest but-"

"I'm fine, Commander Dameron" It made her cringe to use his title against him so sarcastically, but Sola couldn't help but remember how they had parted the previous day. The memory was sour in her mind, and made fleeting thought of grovelling on her knees in apology to him twist into a gut wrenching annoyance and guilt. She just wanted him gone, to leave her be and live his life without having to risk it for her any longer. 

It would be easier for Poe to hate her if she acted cold. Easier for her to ignore him if he did the same in turn.

The curly haired man let out a deep sigh, rolling his eyes at her stubbornness before he looked down at BB-8 who had been hiding behind the mechanic's legs looking all innocent and guilty both at once "You're not innocent either Pal, c'mon" he gestured to his droid forward with his free hand. As soon as BB worked up the courage to roll to his side Poe crouched down to place a hand on his helm "I told you to look after her, not bring her to the hanger" he scolded softly, BB giving a low hum in apology that made Sola's eyebrow raise.

Poe had instructed BB-8 to look out for her? He...he had cared enough to let his precious droid look after her even when he was still so furiously angry with the blond. She wasn't sure if that was more endearing, or infuriating that he hadn't worked up the courage to do it himself instead. 

"I can look after myself" She mumbled running a hand down the side panel of the ship before dropping it to her side. There wasn't much she could do without the tools Poe was now keeping from her reach. 

"Clearly you can't" His chin nodded to her leg and Sola frowned deeper at that idea before Poe continued, "You might not care about your life Sola, obviously you don't, with how much trouble you get yourself into, but I do" he sighed again, louder, and ran a hand through his air as he tried to come up with the right way of voicing his concerns. That he cared so terribly much he wished she never had to throw herself into danger for any of them again, that he wanted to shield her from all of it including herself. 

"It's not on purpose!" Sola offered back biting her tongue at the volume her voice had risen to "Not most of the time anyway, I just wanted to keep you alive, you and Finn" she explained taking a small step in his direction, ignoring the spike of pain up her leg. 

"And in the process get yourself killed?!" Poe gave an exasperated breath and rolled his eyes before biting at his lip, nose flaring in irritation "That's not how it works, as long as you have that death wish over your head, you're grounded! No more off planet trips, no more missions!" He was staring to sound like Leia when he spoke, and as much as he admired the woman he wasn't sure he liked this side of himself. 

Sola didn't seem impressed either as her eyes grew wide."Y-You can't ground me, you're not General Organa!" She pointed a finger at him accusingly, surprised by her own strength in words, mouth opening to speak again Poe cut her off with his own finger pointed at her face.

"Watch me" 

"You're being ridiculous Poe, I'm completely fine!" She said swallowing and glancing around the room to see if anyone was hearing their argument. 

He was being ridiculous, just because she'd gotten injured once, it didn't give him the right to keep her here for the rest of the war. Yes, she'd almost died, but hadn't he too had his fair share of close encounters with death? Hadn't they all?!

"Did you even see yourself on that ship?!" The pilot caught her attention again, his words low and building "No. But I did, when Snap and Finn dragged you out. You looked dead Sola!" He's voice broke just a touch at the memory she had no recollection of. 

"I thought you were gone, I carried you to the facility and you were as white as sheet and cold. I swear you stopped breathing at some point to I-" Poe took a heavy shuddering breath and lowered his hand away from her face, shaking his head and crossing his arms as if to shield himself away. He was getting fidgety, nervous, irritated. All of the signs in his body language pointed to that fact.

"I thought you were dead Sola, do you have any idea what you did to us all?!" 

Sola faltered and looked away too, drawing back an in on herself with pursed lips. No, she hadn't thought about the distress she'd caused him and her other friends when they had found her like that. Bleeding out, on deaths doorstep. She hadn't imagined anyone would care so much about her wellbeing, about her inevitable death. Ever since Grace passed in her arms, she never thought anyone might care so much about her ever again.

Yet here he stood, clearly in distress over the mere idea of having lost her. And she knew what loss felt like.

"I didn't think...." 

Poe looked up, jaw tight waiting for her to finish.

"I didn't think anyone would care that much, I didn't think I-I'd be missed. That I was easily replaced, Poe, I'm no one, I-"

He took a step forward, hands ghosting over her face and resting on her cheeks, tilting it up to make her meet his eyes. His gaze was still hard, "Of course we'd miss you, I'd kriffing miss you, do you really think that lowly of yourself?!".

Yes. Yes she did, but she was unsure if that had ever really mattered much in her life. At least, up until now it hadn't all that much. It was an irrelevant, quiet fact in the back of her existence that she never cared to voice. It had hurt the first time her brain had sprouted it from deep within her subconscious, but overtime had become like second nature. Normality.

"I-I don't understand, Why...why would you-"

"Because I lo-!".

"No" 

Sola cut him off with a violent shake of her head, Poe's hands falling away because of it while she took a small step back and raised her hands in front of her when he tried to step closer again to close the distance she'd created all of a sudden.

With the inevitable result of those words, of that meaning, of the weight of it all behind his eyes. She could not let him finish his confession, couldn't bare to face it even if her heart threatened to leap from her chest with something closely resembling euphoria. A strained heart, even when aching for something so meaningful and fulfilling, could not withstand the shattering dread and fear that choked her throat. 

Again she shook her head, tears wetting her eyes and making her bite down hard on her bottom lip to keep them from shedding. They would only reveal what she was trying to hide from him at that very moment, and she didn't want to see the curly haired man hurt because of any of it.

Though, Sola couldn't stop him from reacting with hurt and pain of her denial anyway. When her lowered eyes flitted over his own, she saw the confusion in them. The loss of something he'd been holding onto up until now and was now met with an answer he hadn't been expecting nor hoping for. 

"What, what do you mean no? I l-"

"No, Poe, you don't, you can't!" Desperately, pathetically almost she begged him not to finish his sentence one more, her jaw quivering to keep her voice from shaking anymore than it already was.

Several more steps were taken in retreat, her leg aching at every single one as she backed up. As if seeing his unfocused expression would tare her apart less than seeing it up close. 

Wide, confused, dumbfounded eyes raked her form for a clue, any clue, about why she was acting like this. He had been so sure of Sola Naberrie up until now, so sure she'd held the same feelings about him as he had her. Yet there she stumbled back, distressed and...scared? What was there to be afraid of, love was anything but. Poe couldn't figure this out, and it stung a little more with every step she took away from him.

"Sola" With a voice gentler, trying to comprehend the array of emotions ghosting over her face in single file, the Pilot tilted his head at her and offered forward a hand. Inviting her but not forcing her to take it while she stared at it as if he'd just offered her up a loaded gun. He glanced at his hand, just to make sure he hadn't in fact pulled the blaster from his holster without having noticed, but came up empty handed. It was just his hand, large, rough, warm. One she'd held many times before, they offered nothing but sanctuary.

"Why can't I?" He tried again brows creased.

How to explain, how to put these obscene thoughts into words Poe might actually come to understand?! Sola wasn't sure how, couldn't think of a way to form the string of thoughts that stretched out from her childhood up until this very moment into something coherent. She felt insane just thinking them. 

"I thought I could..." She swallowed hard shoving away whatever else was fighting its way through to be heard, "Thought I could accept it, handle it, comprehend it" Sola looked up through her light lashes, lingering on his eyes before dropping to look at his chin. Easier to handle. 

Sola laughed, for just a moment. Loud enough to shake her shoulders and let out a breath of bewilderment. Who'd have thought they would end up here?

"But I can't, Poe you don't l-" The blond bit back the word that caused her so much distress "Not like that" She concluded gently pushing his hand back towards him to indicate she held no intention of taking it, even if her heart craved to. 

'This wasn't love'. Sola told herself, chanted as if to convince herself. Can't be love. Because if it were, that meant she would have something to lose again, something important. Something her fragile heart could not handle. Poe couldn't love all of her, not when she herself couldn't. 

And whatever he was seeing in her, it must be an illusion, all those years up in his Starfighters had to be getting to his head. 

This was the worst situation Sola had ever found herself in. It didn't even compare to her abuse at home, not to any battle with the First Order, not even the torture. To be seated at the front table to a conundrum so impossibly opposite and so vile she felt cheated by herself. Sola let out a shuddering breath when she looked at Poe fully. 

She wanted his love, his everything. He was like the bright twin suns of Tatooine, something to look up to. Live for. Love for. But so far out of her weak little reach that she could never imagine herself holding the responsibility of their hearts. There were too many bad outcomes, too many variations that resulted in her numb again after just having learned how to let herself feel again. Everything had been grey after Grace left on her own path, and had only returned in green and blue hues once Poe had bandaged up her hand with one of his genuine smiles directed only at her one day that had left her flustered and warm.

She wanted to cry.

"Commander Dameron?" 

Poe's head turned towards Connix who stood close by just as he opened his mouth to speak. A data-pad was nestled in her arms, Connix looked awkward on having intruded on such a private conversation.

"Sorry to interrupt" She cleared her throat and glanced at Sola before looking back at the pilot "General wants to see you, it's urgent" she clarified quickly.

His jaw tightened, still unable to put together the pieces Sola had offered him while he looked over at the mechanic one last time. She didn't offer him up anything else, and he cursed under his breath for not having more time to address this before he gave Connix a nod and followed her "Coming. Sola-"

"Just go, it's fine" The blond barely held back another crack in her exterior, hands wrapping around herself, hugging herself as if the hold might keep her together just long enough. 

The Commander left with BB-8 following behind him obediently. Whistling Sola a soft goodbye as he wheeled away. On his way out of the hanger, Poe dropped the wrench into the toolbox close by, the sound was loud yet dull to indicate the objects weight. It made her jump regardless, grimacing at her own jumpy reaction Sola hoped no body else noticed.

That day was the second time in twenty four hours she cried because of love.


	32. Live For Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you held someone dying in your arms that you loved. There wasn't much else in the Galaxy that mattered in that moment to Poe Dameron.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I'd have a little short flashback chapter from Poe's Point of View just to keep things fresh. I tried my best in getting his character right, and how he might've felt, so I hope I did him justice.

{ Two Days Earlier }

"Poe-"

Anger boiled his blood.

"Where is she, is she aboard!?" Poe barged harshly past Wedge and Nora when they came down the ramp to greet him. Completely ignoring the understanding looks on the older couples faces as he began his frantic march up the incline to find Sola. They had com'd him upon landing about her deteriorating condition, Finn having told him about her injury while the pilot grew furious and worried all at once. 

There was no way he was losing somebody else. Not this time, not her.

He'd barely made it half way up when Snap and Finn appeared in his line of sight. Sola hung from their arms as they attempted to shuffle her around into a better position. She looked pale, the only colour on her face was the fake cosmetic blush on her cheeks and a single streak of blood on one side like someone had tapped her face with bloody hands. 

"Let me carry her" He said loudly, glaring at both men as they heaved her higher until Poe could wrap one arm around her back and one under her knees into his arms. 

"I don't know if that's..." Snap was attempting to be helpful, Poe was certain of that. His team member and friend of many years had always been a good and honest man, but in his state of panic over the woman's life in his arms right now, it overruled anything his friend was saying and made him shake his head as the Commander stormed his way off of the ship.

"Finn keep an eye out, the safe house isn't far" He said over his shoulder, prompting the staring man to hurry to follow into step beside him with a nod.

"She made me promise not to say anything Poe I-"

"You knew?!" Poe stopped for a second to glare at his friend, frustration bubbling up inside him before he remembered the time constraint they were under and began walking again at a quicker pace, "I can't believe you knew Finn!".

"I know, I'm sorry! She told me it wasn't that bad, I was ready to tell you as soon as she looked any worse".

"Any worse than this!?" He nodded down at the unconscious girl in his arms, she felt so light in his hold he wondered if she might float away if he let up the strong grip he had on her body. Her leg looked a mess as it dangled and bumped against side, red and bare where it poked out from beneath her torn dress. The dress had looked lovely, stunning on her actually, before it was ruined by the events of the day. Poe wished he could've admired her, kissed her in it even. 

He shook that fantasy from his head and barged forward through the dry terrain and out into the town close by, ignoring the strange lookes from people that passed them on their way. 

"She didn't want to worry you" Finn was looking down at her too as they walked side by side, sparing occasional looks around them to ensure no one was following or paying too close attention.

"Yeah well, I'm definitely worried now" Poe adjusted his hold when he felt her slip an inch, wishing he had an extra pair of hands so that he would usher the hair away from her face and swipe away that awful smear of blood from her cheek that didn't suit her complexion, it unnerved him every time his eyes landed on it.

His nostrils flared in anger, he felt he urge to punch something, punch Finn for having remained silent about something so important, punch a wall to relieve the itch, punch himself for having been unable to catch the injury on Sola. How in stars name she had been able to hide it from him was beyond him right now, but he regretted not checking her over properly the second she'd enveloped him in that hug when he'd crawled out of the pond. That was a mistake he would have to live with now, one he would have to carry on his shoulders, like the fleeting life he was cradling in his arms at that very moment.

"Up ahead" Poe spotted inconspicuous building, clearly meant as a cover as they neared. The coordinates beeping on the device on his wrist to indicate the proximity to their destination. 

Finn nodded at his side, sliding open the doors and ushering him inside before shutting them behind them. "Doesn't look like a secret hideout" he commented looking around the room filled with wooden crates and dust.

"Don't think it's meant to" Poe muttered, spotting someone sitting in the corner of the room, he nodded at the pair to come closer before pushing aside a large crate to reveal a secret door that lead them below ground. "I need a doctor, anyone who can treat wounds" the pilot instructed the man on the way down, following his lead until they reached a large open space "As quick as possible" Poe added impatiently, looking around for anything that looked remotely like a medical facility. 

"This way, it isn't much, but it'll have to do. A few others from the Resistance arrived just before you did" Others appeared, two men and a woman who turned out to be Lizzy upon closer inspection, trying to take Sola from his arms, Poe took a step back and turned away with a shake of his head. There was no way he was putting her life into someone else's hands, never.

"Tell me where to go, I'm carrying her" He growled, surprised at how dangerous he sounded to the people trying to help, before following them at a jog to wherever they would supply Sola with the help she so desperately needed.

"Poe we should go, there's nothing else we can do now, we still need to get the rest of the prisoners and Resistance members here" Finn placed a hand on Poe's shoulder as the pilot sat at Sola's bedside silently. Hands on his knees, staring down at her unconscious form. They'd done their best sowing and patching her up, supplying her with supplements and antibiotics for the infection that had caused her fever. 

Finn was right of course, yet Poe was reluctant to leave her side still. He feared that if he left she would wake up alone, afraid and in pain. Or, even worse still, not at all. Both options required his attention, for a first or a last time. 

His hands tightened into fists, wishing he could do more for her. Wishing he'd payed more attention, told her how beautiful she'd looked in that dress, or in any clothes. He'd admired her plenty in her overalls and casual clothing too. Sola fit into whatever fabric she could get her hands on, and Poe wished he could've made her feel like a goddess in every one of them.

Told her of his love for her, one that had crept up on him so slowly he hadn't even noticed it was there until he had landed back on Ryloth and twirled her in his arms like they were the only ones in the hanger that night. Or maybe it had been before that, he couldn't be sure. Poe didn't think he'd seen a more breathtaking smile and heard a more joyous laugh erupt from her lungs, feared he might never hear it again.

The pilot smiled at the memory before standing, he leaned over her and pressed a kiss to her forehead Finn didn't address when he turned back to his friend right after "You're right, let's get them here safe"

"She's strong, she'll make it" Finn assured with a nod back at the Commander, taking in Sola on the small bed for a second,"if not for herself, then for you".

'Sola did like to live for others', Poe thought to himself silently.


	33. Let Love Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who the hell was going to tell her she was related to General Leia Organa?!

"Thank you for coming to see me on such short notice" 

It was Leia Organa who stood opposite Sola early that morning, the sun barely peaking through the unseen horizon outside. The first thought in the mechanic's head was her wondering what the General might have spoken to Poe Dameron about the day prior, but her curiosity was quickly pushed aside when she caught the empty air between them where an answer should've been and straightened up.

"General Organa" She gave a hasty bow as the older woman moved around the small control panel that separated them and ushered her to sit on one of the metal chairs at her side. It was almost four in the morning when Leia had sent for her, not that Sola had caught much sleep that night anyway. Ever since Poe had left their disagreement before it was finished, she'd done nothing but work on ships and lay in her raggedy little bed crying to herself over her regrets. 

Maybe if she'd worded it different, expressed herself better he would've understood, would've-   
There was no use pondering on that now.

"I won't pry on matters that don't concern me but" Leia moved her head from side to side as if to contemplate while Sola sat down at the edge of her seat impatiently. "Commander Dameron has asked me to restrict you to staying on base" She began, voice soft as not to set off Sola into any upset or agitation at her words.

"Frankly, I think he's being ridiculous of course, even if it's coming from a good place" She gave a small smile which the younger woman returned gladly, just knowing the General shared her sentiment was enough to calm her nerves.

"But I do want you trained better before you go off world for any further missions" The General explained, it was a fair compromise in Sola's mind and she didn't dare argue with clear reason, giving her a nod to continue.

"I've asked Elizabeth" 

Sola took a second to comprehend who she was talking about before her eyes widened for a beat and she hurried another nod "Lizzy? Sorry, Elizabeth?" She cleared her throat at the slip up of her friends nickname as opposed to her full name, one she hadn't actually had the chance of speaking out fully before. 

"I assume you know her then, I've already spoken to her and she's agreed to help train you in first aid" Leia let out a small chuckle at Sola's eager look, reaching a hand out to place over the blond's "We don't want what happened on Corellia to happen again, I trust you understand why".

Leaving a serious injury untreated and unaddressed, yes. Sola understood why she'd need the training, not just for herself, but for anyone on future missions. She couldn't think of a better field medic to teach her. 

"Yes, General"

"Poe's idea" Leia admitted soberly. Because of course it would be, why would Poe let her into anymore dangerous situations, into harms way, without her being able to patch up whatever injury she'll manage to throw herself into next. 

"He also said you wanted to learn how to pilot?"

It seemed like Poe liked to talk about her a lot to Leia Organa. For what it was worth, Sola couldn't fault him for it, she was a kind, experienced woman. She couldn't think of a better person to talk to about anything.

"I-I did, I mean, I do" Sola shuffled awkwardly in her seat, unsure of what that foolish passion of hers was now doing in the conversation.

"We need all the pilots we can get, and from how you handled yourself on Crait I can tell you'd turn into a great one. With a little training" A small, knowing smile found itself onto Leia's face, leaning in closer as if to share a secret "But I want you to leave that for another day, focus on learning how to repair Starfighters and train with Elizabeth, at least until we manage to find a more permanent footing for the Resistance".

They'd have plenty of time to learn how to fly later she was sure, though Sola doubted she'd find anyone, never mind Poe, eager to teach her how to pilot right now. Recruitment, location and survival was their main goal at the moment. 

"Whatever happened between you and Poe" 

Sola turned her eyes away from Leia's, trying to hide the discomfort the mention of their previous spat caused her. The General knew of course, without needing to ask and squeezed the blond's hand gently "He cares about you" The older woman's voice cut through Sola's worry, her blue eyes turning back around slowly "He's an idiot, but he cares, a lot" when their eyes met both woman smiled reluctantly at that truth. He was an idiot, one with a big, reckless, cocky heart.

"I think that's what scares me" 

"That he's an idiot?"

The mechanic shook her head, "That he cares" she corrected, letting her head drop to stare down at their hands, gripping Leia's a little tighter with her confession. It was foolish, unjustified even, but still it sat there hot and heavy on her heart. 

"Love is hard" Leia hummed in agreement at the unsaid meaning, her own gaze dropping momentarily as she took in the entirety of the room around the two. What responsibility she held, not just for the Resistance's survival, but for their wellbeing too. For this one girl and the Commander who troubled her in all the best and worst ways. 

"He won't force it on you, but I also don't think you can run from it forever. I'd know" 

She looked up, intrigued at what the General meant with that statement. She knew? Had they really been in such similar situations?

"I fell for Han without meaning to, denied it for a while too" Leia smirked lightly at the distant memory, of how the rugged smuggler had persisted his way into her heart even while her brain had objected to begin with. Feelings over logic prevailed in the end. 

"I don't-...I'm not sure how to handle it, how to be good enough for him, for anyone" It was hard to put into words. All the doubt ad fear she hadn't been able to tell anyone else about. But telling Leia? It felt...easier, almost. As if she were talking to someone she'd known for years, like family.

"Love isn't supposed to be handled Dear, in war or otherwise" The older woman's wisdom rung out clearly in her ears even while she sighed gently. "And even if you weren't 'good enough', which you are by the way" again her hand squeezed the younger woman's own for a moment as if to emphasise her words, "it's not about being good enough for anybody, it's about trying to be the best you can be. That's enough".

An image of her mother, lying on her bed weak but smiling flashed in her mind and Sola had to remind herself where she was for a moment before she sunk any further into the memory. It was an easy comparison. 

"If..." Sola swallowed, voice quivering just slightly "If I let him in, completely. I don't know if I can survive losing him" It sounded sickeningly poetic said aloud, but it was the truth nonetheless. 

"I didn't think I'd survive it either" 

Leia's words reminded her of Han's passing, back on Starkiller and Sola cursed herself for having brought up such a topic to a woman who had lost so much. Had lost what Sola had the greatest fear of losing herself.

The General looked saddened, but more than that content still. Like she'd made peace with reality and now sat in front of her, whole and willing to fight on without hesitation. She looked like the strongest woman in the Galaxy to Sola.

"But we survive" Leia stood slowly, pulling the mechanic up with her to stand while she spoke "We adapt, we overcome" her hands found the younger woman's shoulders, grasping her firmly as if to cement her wisdom straight into her being. "I would rather have loved Han for all the years we had together and then lose him. Than never having the chance to love him at all". 

"Was it really worth it...?" Sola felt the need to ask as she searched Leia's eyes pleadingly, for the truth and for permission she felt she needed.

"It was. And I think Poe deserves to experience it too, with someone as wonderful as you, even if you don't see that yet". Sola didn't agree with the compliment, though she did agree with the notion of the Commander being allowed a chance at love, at her love, even with all it's imperfections and shortcomings. Poe deserved everything in this universe and more.

"Our family is strong" Leia was pulling her into a gentle embrace when she said this, and Sola had to rake her mind to try and decipher what that meant. 

"Our family?" She came up with no solution and had to ask for clarification, a slight frown on her face.

"I assume no one told you?" Leia chuckled against her as she placed one arm around the blond's shoulders and one behind her head to keep her close.

"Told me what?"

"My mother and your grandmother were sisters".

A blink. Once, twice, until Sola repeated the words again over and over before taking a step back in bewilderment. Hands on Leia's arms "We're-".

"Related, yes. And I like to believe we're as strong as our mothers and grandmothers were" Leia smiled, one Sola mirrored after another moment where she stood stunned.

She had family. In the Resistance, in her friends, and now in Leia Organa. She was related to Leia Organa! Sola laughed at the reality of that thought and shook her head to clear it. 

"A-Are there any others?! Of the Naberrie household I mean?" She asked, hopeful.

"Not that I know of, it's you, me, and-"

"Your son?" 

Leia grew grim with that word but nodded regardless "He's a Solo, but related yes". 

She wasn't so sure how she felt being related to Kylo Ren, the man who had tortured and invaded her mind. Though perhaps that didn't matter right now.

"I'm sorry, Leia" it was her turn to give the older woman a comforting squeeze by her upper arms, glee falling away to understanding. Sadly, family didn't always end up what you were hoping for. They chose their own path in the end, good or bad. Sola could understand that.

"Your first mission will be to Naboo" The General changed instantly from regret to collected order. Making her way back around the display to pull up a holo image of a man Sola didn't recognise.

Wait- Naboo?!

"General-"

"Once you complete the basic training with Elizabeth, I want you to travel there undercover and meet with a potential investor, an ally" Leia continued on as if she hadn't heard the other woman's word, punching in another sequence of numbers that pulled up the image of some sort of grand building. 

"Even if the Naberrie name isn't in the public eye any longer, the name still holds sway on the planet. People will recognise it and respect it, use it to your advantage. You'll be attending a gathering of royalty and diplomats" 

The information was coming in so thick and fast Sola had to strain to keep up as she stepped up to the display to take in the images better. The man looked to be in his mid to late thirties, greying beard and shaggy hair, wearing fine, expensive looking clothing. And the building Leia gestured to next was definitely something palace worthy. Grand with dome shaped roofs and painted in warm red and orange tones. 

"You will meet with him and relay our plea for aid, and in return for his support, offer our protection should he require it in the future" The General carried on, pulling out a small chip to hand to Sola which she figured would hold any important information she would need to relay. 

"Be discreet, we don't know where the First Order have allies" 

"Who will pilot the transport?"

Leia raised an eyebrow at her enquiry, looking up at Sola expectantly until realisation sunk into her mind and she let out a breath "Poe..."

"I was going to suggest Jessika Pava, but he insisted, as you can imagine" 

Yes, Sola could definitely imagine his stubbornness upon hearing Leia had planned an off world trip for her. Even if it wasn't to involve a fight or any real danger.

"Elizabeth will be accompanying you too, just as a precaution. As well as to help you two blend in, she's had more experience with diplomats and royalty than both of you combined" Leia ushered her to the door slowly as she began to conclude what turned out to be her briefing.

That was new information to Sola, Lizzy hadn't told her much about her past or where she came from. But somehow it made sense, she'd always been much more collected than many others at base, and held a lot of knowledge about things some might consider luxuries. 

"Commander Dameron will collect you on the morning, you have until the end of the week to prepare. But I do suggest you talk to him before that, to clear the air" It didn't sound like a suggestion, even if it were phrased that way and Sola hesitated to nod at the older woman. 

She hadn't even been sure if she'd ever be able to face Poe again after everything that had happened, it seemed like that option had been taken from her now. 

"W-what about..." She looked down at herself as if to emphasise her loose attire, hardly something fit for the lavish upper class of Naboo, even if she'd never visited before, from what she saw that man wearing on the holo-display, and from how Leia held herself. She doubted just any old rags would do.

"I have a couple of old dresses from my mother I managed to salvage from the Falcon, and Poe will be posing as your bodyguard so don't worry about that. I'll have them sent to you".

"From your mother?" Which would be her great aunt. Sola silently awed and wondered what those kinds of dresses may look like as she walked through the door, Leia stood at the doorway to see her out.

"Padme Amidala, she was a senator in the Galactic Republic" She explained fondly, waving Sola off down the hall with a small nudge on her back that set her feet in motion.

"Now get some sleep, you'll need to look fresh faced".


	34. What Friends Are For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some basic Medic training and time spent with her best friend really helps to clear Sola's mind.

The empty space on her finger burned where Poe's ring had previously occupied the space. Leaving a gaping gap that mocked her every time she reached for it only to fail and come across a phantom of once was.

It had become a nervous habit in such a short period of time, to seek it out and run her fingertips across it to find comfort when she could find none other in close proximity. As soon as Sola noticed the item was missing, she assumed Poe had taken it when she was still unconscious and recovering, the mechanic had felt her heart drop just a little bit. It wasn't like she was expecting to keep it forever, nor would she want to horde such a precious thing away from Poe. She just wished she could've admired it one last time, before giving it back to the pilot it belong to personally.

Maybe it was just another excuse for her to graze his hands, or to seek out the Commander to speak when she needed an reason to that didn't involve her lingering feelings she was struggling with internally. 

Sola shook the ideas about the ring from her head when she entered the storage room to meet Lizzy. It wasn't exactly big or luxurious in anyway, barely enough to fit two crates and a small holo-display, for training purposes only.

"You're early" The woman who would be teaching her all about common combat medical and first aid practiced remarked when the mechanic entered, rubbing her eyes and groaning at her as she sat down on the empty upturned crate by her friends side.

"Couldn't sleep" Sola mumbled eying the bag of equipment in Lizzy's hands while she was taking out whatever devices she thought they needed to run through today.

"I don't blame you, I can hardly call the beds they provided for us comfortable either".

Sola didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't just the itchy bed that was keeping her up these last couple of nights.

"Since we only have a week for this, I'm obliged to ask, do you have any clue about how to treat wounds already?" Lizzy began simply, turning to face the blond with her hands on her knees.

"Apply pressure when you're bleeding" Sola racked her brain for all the knowledge she possessed, hoping it would help speed things along if they turned out to be correct. "Cut off circulation to slow down bleeding as well um..." Her eyes ran circles around the room, a hand running through her hair which had yet to be tied up in any way shape or form. The energy that morning had been entirely missing for such a menial task.

"If you're punctured by anything don't pull it out".

"What about if someone collapses, passes out cold" Lizzy was leaning forward as she tested her friend with the question. One eyebrow raised curiously and an expression that carried with it something more than what it was. Was she asking this because of what had happened on their escape from Corellia? Sola could only assume so.

"U-uhm...make sure they're breathing?"

"How?" Lizzy wanted details, and the mechanic shuffled in her seat to conjure up what she could.

"Press two fingers to feel for their pulse, and a hand under their nose for any air".

The dark haired woman seemed satisfied with her answer and gave a nod "And then?"

This was turning into more of a quiz rather than a training session, though Sola saw the reasoning behind it and continued "Check for injury?"

"What if there isn't a visible one?" 

Stumped at that question Sola frowned and gave a large shrug of her shoulders. How was she supposed to treat an injury if she couldn't see it? In a medical ward full of scanners and machines sure, but out on the field? She had no clue.

"You get them to safe location, out of the range of fire if you can. Keep their head up, move them gently. I know that's not always easy" As Lizzy spoke she typed something into the holo-display pad, bringing up the image of what looked like a dummy laying on the ground "Then you turn the body sideways like here, one leg bend up, ninety degree angle, one arm under the head".

"Why?" It felt rude to interrupt, but Sola was curious to know still. 

Lizzy didn't seem to mind the curiosity, and shared the sentiment of discussing details as she pointed a finger to the body of the dummy, specifically it's mouth. "It's a recovery position, it makes sure the person doesn't choke on their own vomit or tongue, or any blood". Sola had to grimace at that, but gave a quick nod despite the uncomfortable thought. 

"Do you know what to do if someone does stop breathing, when their heart stops?" Lizzy's usual carefree playful attitude had switched when she had began asking questions. The blond had noted it from the start, but it was becoming more obvious as time went on, and when her blue eyes met Lizzy's brown she gulped and slowly shook her head. No, she'd never come across anyone who's heart had stopped. 

At least not anyone she felt the need to revive, if that were even possible.

"It's called resuscitation. You lie them on their back, tilt their head back gently, chin up to help airflow" Lizzy clicked another button and the dummy was now lying back, another body crouching over it with both hands pressed firmly over it's chest "You place your hands like that, and push in short quick bursts, not too hard to break bones, but not too light to have no affect. They're called compressions" Sola took in the moving image, absorbing it all as if her life depended on it. Because some day, somebody else's life might actually depend on it, on her.

"Between each set of compressions, try to aim between a hundred to a hundred and twenty a minute, you give CPR" 

A confused look from Sola told Lizzy the blond had no clue what that was either and she chuckled, switching the image again to show the act of mouth to mouth which the mechanic blinked at in confusion. "It's to push air into the lungs" Lizzy clarified and her friend quickly nodded, pushing away whatever ideas had formed in her her previously. 

"Almost looks like a kiss..." She mumbled under her breath, the lips of Poe flashed unceremoniously into her mind, mortified when she realised she'd voiced it growing warm in the face.

"It does, some people call it the kiss of life" Lizzy added with a chuckle "You pinch the nostrils shut, or whatever the species might have in place of them, and press air into their mouth with your own. You do two at a time, lasting one second, then check if they're breathing, and if not another before switching back to the compressions".

"What if it doesn't work, what if they don't start breathing?" A horrid thought really, but still one she felt needed addressing just in case.

"Without equipment there isn't much you can do, some people use their hands balled into a fist and hit the chest over the heart a couple of times as a last ditch attempt to kickstart it but..." Lizzy gave a slow exhale and shut off the display when she felt it was not longer needed "it's dangerous, I wouldn't recommend it. If nothing works usually its time to..." 

She didn't need to hear the rest of the sentence to understand and gave a sobering nod back at her friend. It made her wonder how many times Lizzy had lost someone on the field, where CPR or whatever other medical procedure had ultimately failed and she watched someone die. It couldn't be easy. Looking up to the stone faced expression on her friends face, Sola confirmed it wordlessly. 

"This is a shot of adrenaline" The large needle in Lizzy's hand all of a sudden brought Sola away from her internal dialogue and shuffle back on her crate. She'd always hated the damn things.

"They're a last resort thing, don't use it unless you're really desperate" She held the needle out pressing her thumb over one end to indicate where to push "I recommend sticking it in an arm or leg, nothing major there and usually easier to access"

"What's it for?" 

"It'll provide a temporary boost of energy, so if you're struggling to walk because of an injury or ready to pass out. Inject it and run, it'll trick your body into ignoring the pain and whatever else is wrong" Well that made her wish she'd carried one back at Coronet City, might've came in handy.

"Can also help with circulation if you're heart is about to give up. But again, can be dangerous" Lizzy went on, noting the way Sola recoiled at the object before she stuffed it back into her bag. 

"Last resort, got it" It wasn't like she'd pull the cursed thing out for any other occasion. Just looking at it made the mechanic feel a little woozy. 

"Have you ever needed to use one?" She felt bad for asking right after the words left her mouth, and quickly waved her hands out in front of her "N-Not that you need to answer that I didn't mean to-"

"Once" Lizzy cut her off with a nonchalant shrug that eased Sola into her seat again, glad she hadn't upset her friend with the insensitive question that could've roused bad memories. 

"Got him off the field but" A hand combed through her messy curls, eyes turning away as if to recollect the events in her head while she spoke "He didn't make it in the end, unfortunately. Good guy" Lizzy concluded solemnly. 

"I'm sorry Lizzy" Sola reached a hand across to try and sooth her friend, placing it on her own with a gentle smile of understanding. 

"We lose and win everyday, you get used to it unfortunately" With a smile of appreciation right back, the medic bounced to her feet with a burst of sudden energy not a moment after. Sola never could figure out where Liz got all that energy from.

"Let's go for some fresh air, it's getting stifling in here, I haven't seen sunlight in days" Lizzy exclaimed, arms stretching out above her head.

With that, Sola agreed. It was getting suffocating down in the underground tunnels, air felt recycled and damp and she was starting to feel the effects of cabin fever. The reminder however, of how they'd been discovered on Ryloth, and how the General had instructed no one to leave without permission as it may risk being exposed, caused Sola to hesitate. 

"We're not allowed to leave though Liz, the General would be furious" She voiced the concern as she watched her friend pack away the equipment and throw it into a corner before pulling the blond to her own feet abruptly. 

"It'll be fine, they won't catch us. We won't stay out long" With every word she was dragging Sola out of the room by her hand, leading her up the crooked wooden steps and out into the empty warehouse that was the cover to the entrance to the base. The mechanic couldn't help grow more nervous with each passing step, though couldn't bring herself to protest much further. As long as they were careful it couldn't hurt right?

The pair made sure no one was paying attention when they slipped out into the passing crowds of people outside of the building. Floating amongst them easily until they reached the outskirts of the small town and travelled up onto a small hall that overlooked it. 

Sola hadn't even gotten to see the planet when they'd entered it, since she'd been unconscious at the time. It made it easier to admire the view when they sat down beside each other and stared out at the expanse. It was a warm day, enough to warrant the absence of a jacket but cool enough so that she couldn't even begin to compare it to the Tatooine heat she had become so used to in the past.

Lizzy took a deep breath in and out before she spoke again, head tilted up towards the blue sky "Much better" she hummed shutting her eyes "Now".

Already Sola didn't like where this was going all of a sudden.

"Have you talked to Poe yet?" Lizzy prodded, head leaning expectantly in her direction. 

"No..." Sola answered nervously, biting at her lip while she leaned back on her hands to try and enjoy their moment of freedom despite the uncomfortable line of questioning.

"You should, before we leave I mean" Lizzy was watching her carefully for a reaction as she spoke, as if to try and catch whatever her friend was hiding below the surface of her skin. "I told him off for yelling at you, he at least felt bad about that"

"You didn't have to do that" Sola objected, though she appreciated the sentiment. No one had ever stuck up for her before. 

"Oh, I did, trust me" The medic snorted back, obviously with a firm opinion of her own cemented in her mind. "I can't believe we're going to Naboo" Her approached switched. Sola wasn't sure if it was because she'd figured out how the mechanic was avoiding the topic of Commander Dameron, of if she just felt like there wasn't much else to discuss. Either way she appreciated it.

"Me too..." Sola mumbled leaning her head back "I wonder what it's like".

"You've never been?!" Her voice sounded baffled when she gasped at Sola "But I thought your family was from there?!".

"My mother was, but I've never gotten the chance to go before" It sounded sort of silly to say now what she heard herself say it aloud, to have never been on the planet your family was known for. Yet who could blame a mechanic turned thief turned Resistance member really.

"You'll love it. It's warm and colourful there. At least from what I've read and seen" Lizzy said.

Sola felt a little jealous that almost everyone in the Galaxy and their aunt knew more about Naboo than she did, though she appreciated the admiration in Lizzy's voice when she tried to describe it to her.

"What about you, where are you from?" The mechanic asked, finally brave enough to after all this time of having waited for Lizzy to announce it herself in the past. She never had.

"Coruscant" Lizzy said simply, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Coruscant?! The capital of the Galaxy and you never said?!" Sola sat up to stare dumbfounded at her friend before shaking her head and lying back with a breath. How in stars name had the kept that one silent was beyond her.

"It's not a big deal" Lizzy laughed at her side and rolled her eyes before copying her to lie down on the rough dry grass below them "A lot of people are from Coruscant".

"Well you're the first ever person I've met from there!" The blond argued, head turning towards her "I've only ever heard people talking about it, is it as massive and impressive as they say?".

"I guess so yeah, it has it's good and bad parts" the medic seemed a lot more calm talking about it than Sola felt hearing about it, eyes wide and in awe at such a city. "I like the air better here though, and back on D'Qar. It's cleaner, Coruscant is very polluted on the lower levels".

"There's levels?!" Sola gasped making Liz cackle out a short laugh. Those idiots at the bar on Tatooine had managed to gloss over that fact when they were sprouting off about the place to her, maybe the alcohol had been the cause.

"Yep, a lot of them, the further you go down the more fun they get" Lizzy explained proudly. 

"That's so cool, we have to go one day. You should show me around- wait" Sola remembered something then, something Leia had said to her in her office and Lizzy perked up at the realisation on her friends face.

"General Organa said you had a lot of experience with diplomats, what did you do before joining the Resistance?!" 

Slight hesitation ghosted over Lizzy's face as she ran a tongue over her lips "Well..." She began voice pitched, shoulders raised "My mother was a senator, she retired when the First Order was beginning to turn into a real threat and the Republic wouldn't listen to reason".

"You mother was a Senator?! That's so cool!" Sola marvelled unapologetically and a look of relief formed on Lizzy's face, now knowing she wasn't going to be judged for such a thing.

"Yeah, she taught me a lot about politics, about how to handle people like that. I went with her on a lot of trips to other plants, over the years I figured I didn't want to go into that line of work. I wanted to do something that did more immediate good, that helped people" Lizzy explained "I went into medical school, worked for the Republic for a while, then joined the Resistance when they weren't doing enough anymore". It was becoming a reoccurring theme that the Republic's denial of the First Order had spurred many people to action, and towards the Resistance. 

"Leia told me that her mother, who was my grandmother's sister, was a Senator in the past" Sola quieted in thought "I wonder if our families might've met at some point back then" She mumbled, more of a wish than anything else. 

"Maybe" Lizzy hummed back thoughtfully. It was a nice idea to have.

"I know what you did, that you thought it was the right choice at the time" It took Sola several seconds to decipher the meaning behind those words before her head turned to Lizzy with a curious gaze. She was talking about Corellia.

"But please never do that again" The dark haired woman's hand reached out to take her own, giving it a squeeze. The gravity of her plead was clear on her features, she too had been scared of losing a friend even for the Resistance.

"I feel so useless a lot of the time, I thought..." Sola swallowed and raked her eyes around the sky for better words, better reasoning that wasn't just her stupid anxiety and self doubt creeping itself into every choice in her life. "I thought not saying anything, throwing myself into whatever they needed me for was the best option", as much as it had turned into a mistake with the repercussions of those actions, she would not say they had been committed without good reason.

"Sola" Lizzy turned her body towards the blond to ensure she saw all of her when she spoke.

"You can do so much more than just dying for the Resistance".

There it was. Truth, reality, common sense, whatever you wanted to call it. Sola had thought, without realising, dying for the Resistance, for the cause, had been the best most useful thing she could do for them. It was a stupid idea really, one she'd argue against for anyone else who might have thought it. But for herself? What Lizzy was saying made sense and it scared her to think her brain had come up with such a plan in the first place. It's not like she wanted to die, there was so much left in the Galaxy to see, so many things to explore. Leia, Lizzy, Rose, Finn, Poe, all of them meant something to her now, and she wished to get to know many others more. 

She averted her gaze when she managed to speak again, giving the slightest of nods to indicate she'd heard the words "I guess I just never...thought I could do much more than that" The mechanic confessed softly under her breath.

"Of course you can are you kidding?! Rose told me she's teaching you how to repair ships, and I'm pretty sure every droid we have has fallen in love with you with how you treat and repair them!" Lizzy's voice lightened, grinning at Sola who couldn't help returning the gesture with a small smile of her own. Liz's smiles had always been infectious.

"You're a great shot from what Finn said, and I'm sure you'll become a great pilot someday soon. You have so much to give" 

It felt so incredibly nice to hear such praise from someone so amazing like Lizzy. From all the things she'd seen, done, and achieved to hand it out to someone as insignificant as Sola?! 

Though she did have to ask; "How did you know I wanted to become a pilot?!"

"You're kidding! I mean besides it being the most obvious thing ever, I see the way you look at Starfighters, and at a certain Pilot too, I just kind of puzzled it together" Lizzy turned from a smirk to an innocent shrug before she lay back again to stare at the sky. 

"Fair enough..." She'd ignore the comment about what was obviously Poe for now and let out a sigh in defeat. She hadn't known she was so obvious in her body language before, either that or Lizzy was just that clever.

"I missed you too when you were away" Sola said slowly "Had to keep asking Connix for any updates, Leia said you were helping possible allies who needed medical expertise?".

"Yeah, a small colony on a moon planet, really kriffing cold out there let me tell you" Lizzy replied, reminiscing with a small laugh.

"Did they end up joining us?" It was curiosity really that spurred her on, though she hoped she wasn't overstepping in asking.

"A couple of them yeah, the rest are still too scared of the First Order, can't really blame them". 

As nice as it had been to catch up, eventually once the Sky had began to become dull and clouded over to hide away the calming blue, the pair decided to head back before anyone began looking for them. Sneaking back taking a little longer than sneaking out since they tried to make it look as normal and casual as ever when they disappeared into the large warehouse building as if they owned the space. 

What came as a complete surprise was however, when a certain curly haired Commander greeted her when she opened the door to the room she'd been sleeping in. Crutch still one hand to help her walk around, Sola hesitated at the threshold once she opened the door. Poe had turned towards her the second she'd opened it and she wondered how long he'd been standing there waiting for her. He looked tense, troubled.

"C-Commander..." Unsure, anxious, and a little awkward on where to start this conversation she gave him a nod as she entered, sitting down at the edge of the bed with a breath of relief. Walking was still quite a task in it's own merit.

"Can I help you with something?".

"I wanted to apologise" Poe's low voice made her look up from the bandage around her leg, surprised to hear him say such a thing.

"Apologise?" The mechanic enquired.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you, or gotten as angry as I did" He clarified sitting down beside her, hands on his knees but eyes ahead to stare at the wall for solace. "I'm sorry Sola".

"You had all the reason to, what I did was" Sola shook her head, defending him naturally. 

Was that the right thing to do? She'd always found it so easy after her father. 

"Stupid?" Poe finished the thought for her with a small smile, "Regardless, I shouldn't have raised my voice, or called you what I did because you're not a burden, not once. I guess I was just mad at myself for not being able to do anything".

"Yeah, well, I did think at the time that it was the right thing to do..." His eyes were on her now, she could feel them burning a hole into the side of her face as she lowered it to look down at her fumbling hands. A nervous habit.

"But Lizzy said something that made me realise that it wasn't, not in the long run"

"What did she say?" Poe asked curiously.

"She said I can do more than die for the Resistance" Blue eyes lifted to meet his own, desperate to see what the pilot thought of that idea. If he agreed.

Poe failed to hide the slight smirk in his voice "Looks like she's as wise as she is tough" he hummed in agreement nodding his head, "She's right".

"I also want to say sorry"

Confusion found Poe's features, tilting his head just an inch down at her while she spoke.

"About what happened in the hanger" Stars, she was getting sweaty and warm again as she recollected the words. Leia's talk the previous day replaying in her head about what she should've said, what she should've done. "It's always been hard for me to comprehend that people care about me" Sola started, scared to say it but unable stop herself once she started. 

"After Grace especially, I didn't think I could handle it" 

"It's not easy losing people" Poe spoke from experience of course "But as long as we have friends, and hope, something to cling to, it keeps us going. You shouldn't run from it".

"I know, I just-" Dameron took her hands then, stopping them from fidgeting on her lap to still them instead in his own, Sola gladly let him. The touch was soothing, incredibly so. It almost felt like a blanket whenever Poe touched her. "I'm terrified of losing people, losing you" His thumb skimmed her knuckles with the words that rung around the room, humming to himself in agreement of her concerns.

"Then let's keep each other alive from now on" As simple a such an idea was, it worked it's effects deep into her bones. 

"I think you've been keeping me alive for a while now" 

Poe chuckled at her words, lightening the room up to a noise so carefree it made the blond's heart flutter, eased her into the stiff bed below them with a gentle smile.

"Speaking of feeling alive, Leia told me to deliver this to your room" She hadn't even noticed the small crate in the corner of the room, Poe nodded towards it as he stood and lifted it onto the bed to her side, crested in gold paint and a delicate old lock she could only describe as charming. 

"Is that..."

"A dress I think, for the mission on Naboo" Poe pulled open the lid and held out part of the silk like texture towards Sola who took and pulled the garment from it's place fully. It flared out over her knees like a sunset. Soft yellow, pink, and purple hues with a neck held up by what almost looked like a silver metal necklace. It was sheer and so light she feared it would fall from her grasp if she let it go. 

This was Padme Amidala's dress. 

"It's beautiful..." In awe, she stared at the dress enthralled for so long Poe had to clear his throat to get her attention again.

"It's certainly something" He mumbled looking over it and back up at her face, a teasing smirk twitching at his lips "Can't wait to see you in it".

Rolling her eyes purely to play off the blush that shot to her cheeks, Sola stood and shook out the fabric to see it's entirety. The back was bare, it would definitely trail at her feet and the sleeves were loose and flowing, effortlessly moulding into the rest of the dress as if they didn't exist at all. 

"Daring" She mused, feeling nervous towards the thought of her body in such an exposing garment. As much as she was sure it would fit with how loose it draped, showing her whole back to a room, a planet full of strangers? Sola glanced up at Poe doubtfully.

"Don't worry, it's a warm planet people won't look twice. And if they do, well, I will be your bodyguard on this trip" he grinned confidently, giving her a mock bow as if she were already posing as some sort of royalty "Milady". 

Sola laughed and shook her head with a single response in her head. Idiot.


	35. Lessons In Royalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Using books for anything other than reading? Impossibly difficult.

"I hate this book!"

The said book clattered loudly to the metal gridded flooring of the transport ship which was currently hurling them through hyperspace in the direction of Naboo. It had been intended to be used to be balanced on her head to while she walked, but Sola barely made it five steps without it slipping off again.

"Hey, it's not the books fault your posture is terrible" Lizzy cackled manically from the side, sitting on a small bench and observing her friend who grumbled and picked up the brown and beige book with a loud huff. 

"And this supposed to help me improve it?!" The mechanic, exasperated and growing frustrated with this futile attempt to teach her some of the important mannerisms royal dignitaries of Naboo should have learned fresh out of the womb. Sola failed to see why they would even care about how she would hold herself at the upcoming gathering, even while Lizzy had insisted it was vital for them to trust and respect her there. Better to look the part of an old respected family of Naboo, rather than just to walk in there looking like a common street rat. Poe had shared the blond's sentiment at least, giving a distasteful grimace and scurrying off to the cockpit the second the medic had began spouting off about bows, hand gestures and posture. 

"If you kept your back straight and your shoulders squared, yes" Arms crossing over her chest the taller woman leaned back against the wall of the ship, an incline of her chin urging Sola forward for another attempt. 

"At least tell me something useful while I'm practicing then" Sola sighed placing he heavy back gingerly atop her head again. Positioning it as best she could while she straightened her back as instructed "Run me through the plan again, and about the contact I'm supposed to be relaying the information to" she clarified slowly, trying to focus on keeping the book steady as she took her first step forward. So far so good.

"Alright, if you insist" Lizzy leaned forward in her seat, happy to give a refresh of their mission brief, "Once we arrive, the gathering will commence in the evening" She began.

Another step, and the book held firm.

"We won't have long to get ready, but I'll help you with that, go for something simple" 

The book wobbled when Sola glanced to her friend "The dress looks anything but simple".

A laugh and Lizzy shook her head "Just because it's layered doesn't make it complex Sola" She pointed out watching her take another step "We're to attend under your full name, make sure they know we were invited in Leia's place. Keep our heads down otherwise".

"Do you think they'll believe us, believe I'm a Naberrie?" It was easy enough to claim such a thing, harder to prove it. She didn't even know if people would remember her mother, or her grandmother. Famous or not. 

Again the book wavered and Sola had to have another quick step and balance it with a worried look up towards the crown of her head. Luckily it didn't fall just yet and she managed to take mother couple of steps to make it six in total, not bad.

"With how I'll make you look in that dress? Hell yes" Lizzy grinned confident at her own skill in the craft before leaning back again in thought "If your family is as famous as they say on Naboo, I'm sure many people will have seen your mother or grandmother's portrait or image at some point, you'll resemble them more than you know".

With doubt the book tumbled, Sola barely managed to catch it as it fell, turning towards the dark haired medic with a frown "How would you know that?!" Not once had she looked in the mirror and seen her mother's beauty before, couldn't even begin to compare it. The closest to it had been Grace, the had smiled the same as her mother had.

"Daughters always look like their mothers, what was her hair and eye colour?" Lizzy challenged easily, as if she had been expecting the disagreement and raised and expecting eyebrow at the mechanic who rolled her eyes.

"Blond and blue..." She grumbled, though her mothers hair had been a tad darker than her own from what she could remember. 

"See, plus we have Leia's invitation and blessing. Even though I doubt they actually expected her to turn up after the news of Ryloth spread around the galaxy" 

With that Lizzy was right. The encrypted invitation they'd received was most likely sent out of formality and obligation to the family name, rather than genuine interest of having a descendent of Padme's at the party. Everybody knew of Leia's affiliation with the Resistance, and the danger that possessed to them if they associated with her in turn, Naboo was in enough danger already with how they openly opposed the First Order and their occupation. Once again the First Order presence loomed over them even if they weren't around to rain physical blaster fire down on them. They always lingered at the back of any decision made within the Galaxy. 

Sola felt a little bad now, for turning up and putting the planet into any sort of danger. Naboo deserved to remain as it was, remain alive and beautiful in all it's ways. They didn't need to have the Resistance intervene. She at least hoped that if the First Order caught wind of her presence there, they didn't link her back to the Resistance in anyway, and conclude she was there purely out of family duty rather then recruitment. Even if that wasn't the case. 

"What about the man we're meeting?" Sola sat down beside Liz as she spoke, thinking she'd learned enough for now to at least look competent on the planet amongst the others attending. 

"The potential investor, Mal Vancil, old, rich, has a lot of useful contacts, used to be an advisor to one of the past Queens of Naboo, Sosha Soruna, I believe" Lizzy hummed "Said he could provide us with some resources, didn't give details. And potentially a few recruits when we find a more permanent base" That all sounded nice and hopeful coming from Lizzy's mouth so effortlessly, but Sola knew it was easier to dream of such a potential ally than to actually receive concrete support. Sola wondered silently what kind of man he might be.

"Do you know who the current Queen of Naboo is?" Sola looked up from the book in her hands. It was an old one with faded writing she'd stopped trying to make out shortly after Lizzy had given her it to use as practice equipment. 

"No idea, apparently the government there is in disarray since the Senator that represented them in the reconstructed Galactic Senate of the New Republic was killed in the disaster of Hosnian Prime".

Well that wasn't very reassuring, no wander the planet had been pretty quiet since then, Sola wouldn't blame them if they didn't possess a Queen at all at the moment. 

"We're entering orbital space soon" Poe stood by the doorway when he spoke up, arms crossed leaning against the frame casually. Sola almost jumped out of her skin with how suddenly he appeared. 

"Shouldn't you be piloting then?" Lizzy scoffed from beside her making Sola hold back a chuckle by biting down on her tongue. 

"Weather conditions are good in Theed, autopilot can handle the bulk of it" The pilot shot back easily, smirking overconfidently down at the pair. 

"You mean BB8 is keeping an eye out for you?" Sola hadn't seen the droid at Poe's feet which meant he was off doing some diligent task instead. Presumably piloting the ship or ensuring it didn't crash while the curly haired man felt the need to come check in with the two woman. The impressed look with Poe's raised eyebrows told her she was correct and Sola flashed him a grin while Lizzy patted her shoulder. 

"So what you're telling me is that we only needed your droid, and not you to come along to pilot?!" The dark haired woman gasped in exaggeration and stood stretching her back, Poe only rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah, you won't be saying that if we come across an asteroid field on our way back" He huffed making his way back into the cockpit in defeat.

Naboo's capital city of Theed was more beautiful than Sola could ever have dreamed of. From all the descriptions she'd gotten of the planet and it's cities from her mother's bedtime stories, and from Lizzy's excited rambling. Nothing could prepare her for the sight that screamed home to her the second her eyes laid eyes on the cyan blue dome shaped roofs. The sand and warm coloured buildings and soft greenery nestled in between tight street corners. The high walls, endless balconies and mix of fields and distant trees that morphed into swamplands. It was even prettier than Corellia had ever been to her, much warmer too when the ramp lowered out in front of them on the landing strip and the blast of hot air fanned their faces.

"Welcome home" Lizzy mumbled the soft words to her right, gesturing her forward to step off first out of all of them. When Sola hesitated, Poe to her left gently pushed at her lower back to usher her forward in agreement, BB-8 stood obediently by his ankles watching her too. Sola caught her reflection in the droid's large black lens when she glanced down at him momentarily. It felt like Dantooine again, though for the complete opposite reason this time. This time she was nervous for all the right reasons.

This was Naboo, and even the air reminded her of her mother. 

Taking slow steps forward the blond walked until her feet connected with the red bricks of the landing pad, only then did she stop and crouch down, her palms spreading over the warm stone to take in the rough texture, the wholeness that it represented, the planet under her fingertips that haunted her dreams like a melody. 

She was finally here, she made it. Made it for both her and her sister.

"As good as you imagined?" Poe walked up beside her while Lizzy turned to retrieve a bag that held their change of clothing for the gathering. He smiled down at her, not bothering to ask why the mechanic felt the need to touch the ground beneath their feet. He could tell it meant a lot to her.

"Better" Sola breathed out the word back at him, catching the singular tear of joy that escaped her right eye by wiping it with the back of her hand as she stood upright again "I thought my mother was exaggerating for our sakes when she told us of Naboo, I'm starting to think she did the complete opposite" And stars if the evening sun bouncing off of Poe's tanned olive skin didn't steal her breath away, the planet was becoming more stunning by the minute.

"We weren't expecting your arrival" 

As Lizzy walked up behind them, their heads turned towards the approaching figure of a man. Tall, broad shoulders and a long flowing tunic around his frame. Two guards stood on either side clad in brown and blue tones. Fitting to the architecture and colour scheme of Naboo.

"We were invited" Poe clarified, handing out the chip which held the electronic invitation that had been sent to Leia's personal transmission code. The man's eyebrow raised, doubtful, but too the chip regardless and handed it off to a guard to be scanned in a data-pad. It dinged with a familiar melody before he glanced over at the display with a hum.

"Indeed. Though this invitation is for Princess Leia Organa, I don't see her in your company?" The man mused.

"She was held up" Poe's hand found his hip, acting casual "Leia sent someone else in her stead, someone she thought you would approve of" His chin gestured to Sola who stood nervously at his side, fingers skimming the edge of her shirt unsure if she should say anything besides give a bow of a head. Like Lizzy had taught her.

"This is Sola Naberrie, great niece of the late Padme Amidala of Naboo" Lizzy articulated the words so fully, so formally Sola had to glance over her shoulder at the taller woman to make sure it was actually her who had said the words. What an induction, it almost felt wrong that it was spoken for her.

"Named after her Grandmother I presume?" The man's eyes were scrutinising every fibre of her being, scanning over every inch, every flaw, every hair out of place. He was trying to figure out if what they were saying was the truth, once he was done, gesturing and whispering to one of his guards. Sola wasn't quite sure if he came to the desired conclusion, she could only hope so.

"We have quarters prepared for you, the festivities will begin at nine, don't be late" With an upturned nose that told her he was still on the fence about their arrival, the man waved them to follow. 

"Festivities?" Sola walked along side Poe with BB-8 and Lizzy at their heels. The word was an odd choice for something she'd presumed was a simple gathering, a party at most. Though out of all of them, it looked like she was the only one caught unawares you the word. 

"The Festival of Light, Miss Naberrie" The man answered with a hum, failing in the effort to turn his head to answer her face to face.

Raking her brain for any information she might've locked away on the subject, Sola scanned the floor as they walked. Had her mother mentioned it before? She remembered only vaguely the topic of Naboo holidays and celebrations, but this one hadn't been given a name before. 

"It celebrates Naboo joining the Galactic Republic back in 867 BBY, an annual thing" Lizzy whispered over her shoulder, Sola glanced at her with wide eyes and gave a quick nod in thanks. 

"I wasn't aware the party was for such an important celebration" The mechanic mumbled, wondering what this holiday would involve. The name suggested lights of course, though the scope of that was something she very much would like to discover.

"A guard will come retrieve you once you're ready" 

Lucky for them, Sola doubted they'd ever find their way around the endless hallways of the castle. It was huge, taller than the other buildings and more beautiful still. The ceilings inside were endless, long open spaces and towering statues of people she didn't recognise decorated every hallway to remind them of the wealth and history Naboo possessed. Their footsteps echoed all the way as the group made their way towards their quarters. 

"Until then" He was at least polite when he bowed before leaving them at the door of their room, his guards always a shadow at his feet wordless but lingering. 

"They call this a room?!" Poe opened the door for them, his eyes scanning the grand space with a low whistle "Looks more like a house". 

Sola agreed with a chuckle, taking in the space. It was bigger than her home on Tatooine had ever been with a circular living area adorned with a large cushioned couch and low wooden table. A big bed hidden behind a screen of fabric, and another small arched door leading off to what she guessed would be the fresher. They even had a long balcony stretching out behind the bed frame. 

"Enough admiring, we only have two hours to get ready" Lizzy snapped her fingers to get their attention to the centre of the room where she had taken up position. Large bag laid open with all their clothing items. "Poe" He pilot raised an eyebrow and barely caught the helmet thrown his way, staring at it in disbelief.

"Really, a helmet? I thought this was a non combat mission?!" He breathed examining the shiny golden helmet in his hands, it was fairly simple but would sadly cover most of his handsome face except a line over his eyes and his nose.

"You'd stand out too much otherwise, it was that or an ugly wig, and Sola wouldn't let me bring that so" Lizzy shrugged, failing to hide the smug grin her face when she glanced at Sola who snorted. "Guards wear them a lot here anyway, you'll blend in better".

Poe was still unimpressed, rolling his eyes while BB-8 beeped reassuringly up at him "Yeah? Well you wear it then bud. 'Not that bad' my ass" He muttered heading towards the fresher to change. 

"Sola, ready?" The taller woman held up the long elegant sunset dress as she asked the question. Waiting expectantly for her friend to gather her nerves for the task ahead.

Gulping, the blond gave a nod and took a step closer "Ready", time to remember all the manners Lizzy had tried crammed into her brain on the short flight over and strangle herself into the dress she felt she was not worthy of. 

If Lizzy hadn't been sent along as her personal hand maiden and life saver, Sola was a hundred percent sure she would've either torn the dress in as many ways as humanly possible, or flung herself off the side of the beautiful balcony when she struggled with the garment. Even the silver neck piece that held the whole thing up had almost gotten stuck in her hair if Liz hadn't been prepared for it and expertly weaved the thing and clipped it into place without missing a beat.

"There, perfect" Tying up the lower half with an elegant large bead that made sure she wouldn't fall over the top layer, Sola turned towards her friend with a nervous grin. It was comfortable for most part at least. So light and airy on her frame that she felt like she was wearing almost nothing every time a warm gust of air fanned against her exposed back. She really hoped it wouldn't blow it around anymore and show off anything it shouldn't, it was daring enough as it was. Even for a warm summer evening.

"How does it feel?" Liz met her eyes as she looked over the blond's body to make sure nothing was creased or folded the wrong way. 

"Good? A bit chilly, as you sure my back doesn't look weird?" The whole thing felt like a giant question mark in reality, but they didn't really have another option now. She needed to look the part. For the Resistance, Sola reminded herself.

"Definitely not, now sit so I can do your hair" Practically pushed onto the velvet cushioned stool Sola sat obediently while Lizzy styled her hair into a long elegant braid down her back, a few blond strands framing her face and a small headband made from the same material as the necklace like piece around her neck that held the dress up placed on top.   
The make up at least was a lot less heavier than what it had been back on Corellia, barely a light pink blush, some mascara and a warm pink glitter that dusted her lids and made her skin shimmer like the rays of sunlight bouncing from the surface of a pool of water. 

Lizzy ended up in something that resembled the colour scheme decorating Sola from head to toe. A shawl around her head covering most of her unruly hair, the same glitter on her lids, and a modest gown with long sleeves. The mechanic was a little jealous even if she knew that her friends attire was supposed to give off the vibes of a handmaiden rather than royalty. Lizzy looked more like royalty than Sola ever hoped to be. 

Poe was already waiting outside the room, arms crossed leaning against the stone wall with the guard that had come to escort them when the pair of woman entered the marble hallway. 

"Back straight" It would be the last instruction Lizzy was able to whisper in her ear, the door shutting softly behind them to drown out the words that made Sola quickly straighten up and give an incline of her chin towards the escort at Poe's side.

"Milady" The two men said almost simultaneously before Poe took a step towards her an offered his arm as guidance. The nervous blond couldn't make out his expression from below the helmet, but she was sure he was staring for a long second before they finally began walking, Lizzy nudging the pair forward with a sly grin. 

The pilot on her arm was the only one out of the three of them, or four if you counted a temporary grey painted BB-8, for the sake of subtlety, who was rolling alongside Lizzy quietly, to be carrying any sort of blaster. It made sense for him, but not for her to be equipped with one of course, though Sola was now silently wishing she could've fought harder to carry one. If only for he comfort of knowing she had one on hand if she needed it, the mechanic felt exposed in more ways than one out here. Amongst strangers with unknown intentions, on a beautiful planet she knew little about. 

"Everything's gonna be fine, trust me" It was Poe's voice that brought her immense comfort as they approached the large intricate foreboding double doors of the throne room, his low voice filling her ears and making her head tilt in his direction for a split second to acknowledge the words with a small smile. 

And trust Poe Dameron she would.


	36. True Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Punching creeps straight in the face would now be Sola's new favourite hobby.

A gentle melody unlike anything the mechanic from Tatooine had ever heard before echoed from beyond the doors that separated them from the throne room filled with dignitaries and party guests upon their approach. Two royal guards in their armour on either side stepping aside to push open the doors the second their escort gave them the signal in form of a short nod she almost missed completely.

"May I introduce, in place of Princess Leia Organa. The great Niece of our late Padme Amidala, Lady Sola Naberrie, and her company".

The alien title announced made her feel like she was a child who was cheating in a test, using her families name, their legacy, as a ticket into something she definitely didn't belong in. Sola felt so apart from everyone else in the room who turned to look at her in surprise that she wanted to vanish into thin air right then and there. Become part of the sickeningly stunning dress she wore and just blow away in the soft winds to be forgotten. Poe however, would not let her do such a thing. And grounded her with a small squeeze of her arm before he stepped away with a lowered head. 

Panic squeezed her lungs into a tight coil, her breaths becoming short as a result which lead to a lightheadedness that only basked this whole situation in an even more surreal light.

Frantically Sola's eyes scanned across the faces in the crowd, taking in their expressions. Some stunned, some impressed, a lot of them sneering and bewildered. She didn't blame any of them for their reactions, she was as caught off guard as they were with being here. Never once in her life had she imagined she'd end up like this, here, now. 

As much as she longed to fit in, to ease her way into a life which might've once been hers if things had gone differently, the blond knew that dream was a distant cry from reality. One she had no time to ponder on right now.

Quickly, Sola gave a curtsy, dress lifted on either side by her fingertips and head bowed. And just as quickly she was pulled forward by Poe's hand under her own and into the room to bleed amongst the guests like she belonged there. She wasn't even aware where exactly they were heading in her daze through the crowd of bodies until the curly haired pilot released her anew and her eyes lifted across a tall figure seated on a large throne. 

"Your H-Highness" Unable to hide the surprised stutter, Sola repeated her bow, lower, raising her eyes hesitantly to the woman. 

Or girl? 

Naboo's queen's were young if she remembered right, barely in their teens when they were appointed. Though the white and red face paint paired with the impressive red and black robes around her shoulders certainly made the Queen look much older than she possibly was.

"I wasn't aware that anyone of your lineage survived beyond Princess Leia and her brother, Master Skywalker" The queen's voice was much lower than expected, as if put on to make her appear more foreboding and intimidating. A smart tactic. Sola respected her all the more for it, it couldn't be easy being Queen at such a young age, and to be taken seriously by others who were so much older.

"I thought I was the last too, your Highness. I have to confess I wasn't aware of what meaning my name carried up until recently" Honesty, she thought, would serve her well with the people she was trying to gain the trust of. As much as she was trying to blend in and belong, lying to the Queen of a Planet that held so many possibilities of support for the Resistance didn't seem like a good idea. Naboo had always stood on the side of justice and peace in the galaxy, always supported the Republic and the Rebels in anyway it could. Such a planet and it's rulers didn't deserve to be lied to, even if it was a risk.

"Indeed" The girl was studying her with a hard, calm look on her face as she spoke, giving away nothing behind her monotone voice. Hands firmly planted on the throne's arm rests at her side "I welcome you, and hope you enjoy the festivities your ancestors have had the pleasure of experiencing in the past". Clearly the last of her words, Sola gave a small smile and bow before turning away, Lizzy and company behind her as she made her way through the bustling crowd and straight towards the table that held refreshments. Most importantly, alcoholic ones. She definitely needed one to calm her nerves.

"That went great!" Lizzy handed her a tall glass of golden bubbling liquid as they stood by the long marble table, grinning proudly down at her friend who still felt she had made too many mistakes already for it to be considered 'great' in anyway. At least it hadn't ended in complete disaster just yet, she hadn't fallen nor misspoken rudely, that was always a good bonus.

"Thanks..." The drink tasted sweet, like honey almost and Sola would've downed the whole glass if she weren't reminded of the alcohol content concealed within it. It wouldn't do them any favours if she turned up to the meeting with their contact drunk and staggering with every step. 

"Any idea where Vancil is?" Poe too was sporting a drink in his hand, standing close between the two woman as he scanned the room through gap in his helmet for any sign of the old man. There were so many young and old people clad in expensive fineries Sola had failed to spot him from the limited time she'd had since they entered the fray. At least no one had come to talk to her yet, they seemed hesitant to approach. Deciding that glancing at her and whispering amongst themselves was the better alternative. 

"No, but the brief said he'd come find us" Lizzy was fixing the braid down Sola's back to ensure it wouldn't get caught around her neck as she spoke, trying subtly to soothe her friend with the action. An excuse to touch her that wouldn't outright give away their close friendship and Sola appreciated it as she sipped her drink warily.

"Miss Naberrie?" A timid woman practically materialised at her side, making the blond jump and place her hand over her heart in surprise "A-Apologies, I didn't mean to startle you Milady" The small woman bowed quickly. She was wearing much more simplistic clothing compared to the rest of the guests, with no jewellery in sight. Sola assumed she must be a servant of some kind, but not to the Queen herself.

"That's alright, I just didn't see you" The mechanic waved her hands out quickly to try and ease the worried look on her face. 

"I'm here to retrieve you for your scheduled meeting" The woman's large brown eyes surveyed Poe and Lizzy at her side, assessing them for any danger or resistance at the invitation she had just handed out with her words. There was none, and Sola gave a small nod, she wasn't aware the meeting was so secretive.

"Of course, lead the way".

No one paid them any mind when they slipped from the party, perhaps it was normal for guests to step away for fresh air or to wander the gardens. Either way Sola was relieved when no one watched nor stopped them as they made their way down another large and empty hallway. As pretty as they were, they felt almost endless. An endless maze of beautiful architecture and soft curves, easy to get lost in without a guide who knew what they were doing.

"In here" The small woman stopped at an inconspicuous door, one that looked like all the others and pulled forth a key card to open it up for them, halting Poe with one hand on his upper arm when he attempted to walk in first and assess the room, "Sir, if you please leave the blaster with me. It will be unneeded and Lord Vancil is nervous around weaponry".

The pilot frowned at the request, hand hovering over the pistol at his hip as he glanced behind him at Sola. She was unsure if he meant to ask her for permission or was simply debating the action in his mind, but she still gave him a small nod. This was just a meeting after all, what danger was there in a discussion?

"Fine, keep it safe for me" With a breath the blaster was in the woman's hands and she excused herself off to the side to let them enter. 

The room that greeted them was just as grand as every other aspect of Naboo. Though this time it was furnished much more sparingly. A sitting area with a table, some lights, and a few plants and picture frames on the walls. It felt like a room designed for meetings, lavish ones for the rich, but for meetings and discussions nonetheless.

Mal Vancil, presumably, sat in the middle of one of the maroon couches, arms spread on either side of him and one leg crossed over the other in perfect leisure. He looked like a man who had spent his whole life in this room, and in a way he was. Growing up on Naboo in close proximity to the Queen must've given him many luxuries in the palace. 

"Ah, there you are, finally!" Vancil's voice was loud and booming in her ears as she stepped around Poe to face him fully. Grey hair, a short neatly trimmed beard, and royal blue garments and jewels adorned him. He looked like a walking crown, like he was trying to armour himself up in his riches. It was hard to believe someone who flashy would want to support the Resistance in anyway. He wasn't giving her the best first impression with his posture either.

"I wasn't aware we were late?" Sola raised an eyebrow, not wanting to be rude in taking a seat just yet. Lizzy had pointed out that you had to wait to be offered one, before taking one. Otherwise it was disrespectful. 

His frame shook as he chuckled at her reply, shaking his head and gesturing a pudgy hand to a seat at his side "Maybe I'm just impatient then. Please, sit, my Dear". There wasn't exactly much room on the couch he already occupied with his large frame but Sola felt it impolite to refuse the seat as he waited for her to join his side. 

Poe and Lizzy sat themselves across from the two wordlessly, BB-8 rolling up by her legs to give the mechanic a reassuring bump from his head. He looked good painted grey, but she missed the daring orange that suited him much better. 

Instant discomfort flooded her body when Vancil's hand laid itself on her bare shoulder blades, her whole back was exposed to him, freeing up the space to his touch. With him seated there so confidently she felt like he was completely missing her displeasure at the action, that, or he was actively ignoring it. The blond hoped it was ignorance rather than malice. And she shared a worried look with Lizzy across from her, the dark haired woman sending her a knowing glance before she stared hard at the grey haired man as if trying to make sure he wouldn't dare do anymore than that.

She couldn't bring herself to look at Poe, fearing the shame his annoyance, or worse, his disinterested might bring from the action. 

"Now then, I believe you've brought me something from Princess Leia?" He was looking at Poe when he spoke, like he was completely ignoring Sola after he managed to get his hands on her. 

It offended her beyond measure to think that he believed she was there as a simple accomplice, an arm piece, rather than actively being involved in the mission. "General Organa" Sola answered before Poe could even open his mouth, clearing her throat as Mal looked down to her, a smirk spreading over his face when he realised she had a voice that made her grimace on the inside.

"Would like your reassurance first, of your support, of the promises you made" This was an equal exchange after all, "Before handing anything over" She explained easily, leaning away from the larger man as best she could. There wasn't far to run in the small space they stared, so she opted for steeling herself physically and hiding the disgusting shudder up her spine when his hand dropped to her lower back, rough fingers spreading over her skin.

"Why of course. Miss...Naberrie is it?" Mal was eying her a little too close for comfort but Sola gave him a nod regardless. 

The reminder of Poe and Lizzy's protective gaze's assuring her that he couldn't do much more than touch her back even if he wanted to. It was three against two, the guard in the corner of the room may look intimidating but she was sure they could handle him too. Weapon or not.

"I am happy to promise the Resistance the resources they require" The holo display at the centre of the table beeped when he pressed a large button in the centre, the image of a list of goods flashing up. Food, medicine, ship parts, even fabric for uniforms was listed. As well as units, prices, and possible dates of deliveries. It looked almost too good to be true, Sola had to blink a couple of times to make sure it was real, even Lizzy looked stunned at the sight when she caught her friends outline through the image.

"In return, I want a signed promise of protection against the First Order, as well as pilots"

"Pilots?" Poe had taken his helmet off to look better at the list of resources offered, no use in wearing it since Vancil knew who they were, it laid on his lap as he frowned at the older man. There had been no mention of pilots or protection on his transmission.

"Yes, pilots and Starships, three of them at least. You expect me to believe the Resistance can protect me halfway across the galaxy?" For as right as he was, it wasn't like the Resistance could spare any ships nor pilots for just one singular person. They barely had enough as it was.

"With all due respect" Lizzy placed a hand on Poe's shoulder when he went to speak, shout even, he looked furious. "The Resistance doesn't have the resources for such a request, we're short on pilots as well as ships at the moment" the medic explained calmly, though her eyes held unwavering resolve. 

"From my knowledge I know you have enough to warrant me at least two of each, Commander Dameron here being one of them" His words were getting more and more demanding as he spoke, as if Vancil knew more than he let on. It unnerved her even more than the disgusting touch of his fingers skimming her bare skin. 

Sola wished she could just turn and break his arm in two right then.

"Our fleet is barely a fleet, over half of the squadrons we've established are off planet around the galaxy trying to find allies and resources. We can't spare you two pilots or ships even if we wanted to" Poe's head shook in disbelief as he spoke "I thought you wanted a promise, credits, for your help. Not this" his words came out the most informal out of all of them and Sola had to bite her tongue from scolding the brash pilot. He was right, but this was still something they should be handling carefully.

"Commander, if I merely wanted empty promises and credits I would've sold my resources to the highest bidder" 

Turning her eyes up at him as Mal stared confidently over at Poe, a frown fell over Sola's features. He wasn't doing this for the Resistance, for the good of the Galaxy. No, this man was selling away his recourses to gain something. Power? Security? It could be either, or both. Whichever the case, even if he had served a Queen of Naboo, he was now serving his own self interest. And that infuriated her beyond belief. 

"Why offer the Resistance all of this then, if you could simply sell it away and buy yourself the protection you want?" She was almost ninety nine percent sure he was leaning into her side when she asked that, and the smell of his suffocating expensive perfume made her want to gag. 

"Let's call it a long term investment, or a short term if things are as bad as you say. I want to take my chances with the Resistance before I offer anything to the First Order, they can be a little...temperamental. I like exploring all my options" 

So that was it then, he feared the First Order so wanted the Resistance as his allies for protection. And if that fell through, would try make the First Order his allies instead. They were risky business partners in all sense of the word, and his self interest was number one priority. 

"And what if we refuse your deal?" Came the testing words from Lizzy.

"Then, unfortunately, the festivities tonight might end up sooner than expected" Mal replied lowly, his voice almost a hiss that reminded her of the serpent that had decorated Nifera's neck back on Corellia. He was going to rat them, perhaps even all of Naboo, out to the First Order if they refused, and even if they hadn't planned on it. The idea that he would give them up so easily was enough to boil Sola's blood. 

"You're disgusting, how could you ever even consider selling to the First Order?! You'd be betraying everything your planet stood for!" Somehow right now, Naboo felt more her planet than it did his. The immense protectiveness she held over it already scared her a little with how venomous her voice became. 

"It's just business, Sweetheart" 

The word made her feel sick coming from his mouth.

Before Sola could stop the fingertips which had wandered around her waist, far too close to the territory concealed inside her dress Poe had stormed his way around the small table, hand grabbing ahold of Mal's and tugging it away harshly "Don't call her that!" He spat down at him, Sola standing instantly in surprise. She hadn't known Poe was able to move that fast, or that he was even that bothered by what Vancil had been doing with his grimy hands up until now. The fury burning in his dark eyes told her she had been terribly wrong.

"How dare you-" Vancil was most likely about to threaten them all, but Sola felt absolutely no desire to hear him out and raised her first to connect it with his face. More accurately, his nose, which shot back by the force of the impact and cracked under her clenched knuckles. Blood poured from his nostrils and Mal fell back against the lavish red and yellow couches cushions with a yelp of pain. 

Having almost completely forgotten about the darkly clad guard in the corner, the second the tall man rushed forward Sola was pulled behind Poe with a firm push of his hands, blocking her from even attempting a fight as he tackled the guard to the floor and knocked him out cold with one strong hit over the head from his helmet. "Will you look at that, guess it's useful for something" He remarked smugly, bouncing to his heels and dusting off his shirt confidently. 

It all happened so fast Sola didn't even comprehend what happened until Lizzy spoke up "You alright?" And she gave a quick nod and fixed a strand of hair behind her ear. The mechanic's fist ached a little when she shook it out, but besides that she felt more accomplished than anything else, accomplished and determined.

"Grab him, we're taking him to the Queen" 

"What!?" Poe looked bewildered at her sudden order, looking over at Mal who was till groaning in pain, hands clutched over his bleeding nose on the couch. BB-8 gave him a zap to the leg that made him yelp, the droid beeped to say it was to check if he was still alive, but Sola doubted that was the case and chuckled.

"She deserves to know, and it might deter other First Order sympathisers from selling out Naboo and it's resources" The Queen didn't deserve to have anyone in her courts like this, she deserved to know the truth of what this once trusted man had tried to do to the Rebel alliance, to her planet. 

"Didn't Leia say to be discreet?" Even while he said his, Poe hurled Vancil to his legs, dragging him along roughly by his arm towards the door. His astromech rolled behind them, electric shock ready whenever the older man needed more motivation to walk again.

"Leia isn't here, but I think, I hope, she'd share the sentiment" Sola mumbled leading the way from the room after retrieving the data chip that contained all of the resources and promises Vancil had made to them, and possibly whatever other plans he had concocted involving the First Order. 

"She's right, if we want the trust of the Queen, of Naboo, this is the best way to do it" Even if it wasn't their original plan, Sola was glad Lizzy had her back and gave her friend a short smile in appreciation. 

Once they neared the throne room once more, Sola hardened her resolve. This looked awfully fully suspicious, to drag in a man bleeding in front of the Queen and proclaim he'd planned on ratting them out. She had to words this correctly, a delicate affair some might call it.

"BB-8 go wait in the ship, warm her up, we're leaving as soon as this is over" Poe instructed his droid who chirped in agreement before hurrying off down another hallway towards the exit. For as much as she had wanted to stay longer on Naboo, Poe was right, they needed to leave as soon as possible. The First Order could already be on their way, they had no idea what kind of safety measurements Vancil had implemented for their meeting. 

"What's the meaning of this?" 

The crowd parted on their way through the large open room towards the Queen, her low monotone voice echoing over the shocked gasps and whispers of the dignitaries which backed up as soon as they saw the blood pouring from Vancil's nose. 

"Your Highness" Poe spoke for them, throwing down Mal at the bottom of the steps to the throne, the man cowered clutching his nose for dear life "We are with the Resistance, and this man, who planned on offering us help, was about to happily sell off the resources of Naboo, including our lives, to the First Order" His voice was loud, louder than Sola had ever heard it before but her eyes remained forward on the Queen who stared down at them.

"Is this true?" The girl barely spared Vancil a look of offence before her eyes landed on Sola who swallowed hard before nodding. Why was the Queen turning to her for conformation? She wasn't sure, perhaps it had something to do with her family name, it wouldn't be a large leap in assuming Sola held more worry over the welfare of the planet her family originated from, than Poe Dameron who had grown up on Yavin 4. 

"Yes, and as much as it is not our business to decide who he sells to, the fact that he had his own self interest, rather than the interest of the planet's resources he was offering, you deserve to know who you allow into your home" Sola glared down at Vancil "The Resistance fights for justice and peace in the galaxy, this man only fights for his own skin. I know Naboo openly opposes the First Order", mumbles of guests at her back filled her ears but Sola shook them away with clenched fists "I assume you wouldn't want any of your aid to go to their tyrannical rule".

Impossibly, right then, Sola felt like she was worthy of Padme Amidala's dress. Worthy of carrying it on her shoulders as she fought for the honour of Naboo and everything it stood for.

"Do you have proof of this claim?" Right down to the facts, as she should have guessed. Sola began her climb up the steps towards the Queen. Data chip in hand.

Two guards stepped forward to stop her, but with the wave of the Queens small hand they retreated "Yes, your Highness, this has all the business dealings of Vancil's" she handed the chip over and it was inserted into the side of the Queens throne. The holo-image that popped up once again showing the list, and with another click potential clients, investors, plans, even some past dealings. Most importantly, plans for the future dealings with the First Order. It looked like Vancil had planned on dealing with them whichever way the exchange with the Resistance had turned out. To play both sides with the resources he possessed on Naboo, as well as funnel the resources of the people's own food and medicine into his dealings, under the radar of course. He was going to steal from the planet itself.

"Arrest him, he will receive a fair trial later" The Queen had seen enough, ordering Mal to be dragged away unceremoniously as he wailed and cursed.

"There's no winning against the First Order, sooner or later they'll come for you all!" 

Sola ignored his cries, though the thought did worry her. Naboo wouldn't remain safe forever. 

"I assume for this you expect Naboo to assist the Resistance?" The Queen asked raising her chin slightly. Like she had been expecting this from the moment the three had walked into her halls.

"We don't expect, no. But we hoped you would consider it" Sola bit her lip, now back to stand between Poe and Lizzy who kept their eyes forward. 

"Naboo has always stood on the side of peace and democracy" The Queen began, eying the room as if to address everybody in attendance "But we cannot offer anything but our hospitality today until the Resistance finds itself a stable base of operations. Naboo has lost too much already, and the First Order would try to silence us faster than if we gained the support of the Resistance fleet" The Queen was being diplomatic as she spoke, but honest too. As much as Naboo could offer them in aid, it wouldn't mean anything if the Resistance couldn't help them in an inevitable fight against the First Order. 

"A compromise then" Poe offered slowly "As soon as the Resistance finds a new base, Naboo can offer us whatever you can give. Officially, or unofficially" it was a good compromise even to Sola who glanced at the pilot, it gave the Queen an option on how loud the planet would be in it's support of the Rebels. 

"The Resistance needs new allies, I know what happened on Ryloth, to the Hosnian system scares everybody" How could it not? "But to cower away in your palaces won't save the galaxy, we need to help each other in order to beat the First Order. We are the spark that will light the fire that burns down the First Order and restores the Republic" Sola's heart swelled with her words, pride for what she supported, what she stood for making her heart hammer harder in her chest. 

"I agree to your terms-" The queen wavered, staring at Poe for a name he cleared his throat to give.

"Commander Poe Dameron"

"I agree to your terms Commander Dameron and Sola Naberrie, Naboo will offer it's support as quietly as it can to restore the Republic once the Resistance finds itself a new planet" Her words were final, and the room which had grown so impossibly quiet behind their backs erupted in loud cheer and applaud. Naboo and it's people seemed to share the sentiment, much to the trio's relief.

Cheers and clapping morphed into something louder. Something lighter, or perhaps, it was the light itself that was erupting across the sky that was the source of all the noise now. Explosions that ended in countless colours streaked up beyond the balcony to their right, the vision was breathtaking and without a thought Sola raced out towards them in order to see better.

"Fireworks" Lizzy followed her with Poe lagging behind them. 

"Those are Fireworks!?" Sola gaped at her friend as she stared up at the display of fireworks, hands grasping the edge of the balconies landing so that she could lean over to see better. So many colours, too many to name one after another flaring out and disappearing into the blackness of the night. It was a sight like no other, one Sola burned deep into her skull.

"They're..." She didn't even get to finish that thought, her head a million miles away from the present and instead amongst the colours in the sky above their heads. 

"Beautiful" A gruff voice, low, Poe's at her side finished for her, his broad shoulders bumping against her own gently. Though if she were paying attention, the mechanic might've noticed the way he was looking down at her when he said this. He wasn't talking about the display of fireworks like she was.

A wail, barely loud enough to rise over the roaring of the light display everyone was so intently focused on caught their ears and the trio turned instantly towards the droid which came bounding through the legs of the guests in the room. 

"Looks like it's time to go" Lizzy muttered, sounding just as disappointed as Sola felt as they watched Poe lean down to calm the astromech.

"Slow down Buddy, who sent a transmission?" The pilot asked patting BB-8's head.

"The Resistance?!" Sola jumped forward when she caught the word, leaning closer to hear as Poe jumped back to his feet and turned towards the two woman in his company.

"It's the First Order, they found us, we need to leave" He glanced behind them one last time, as if to spare one last second for something they might never see again before he retrieved the Resistance's data-chip from BB-8 and handed it off to a guard near the Queen. 

"These are our transmission codes, make sure the Queen gets them, we're leaving" He instructed the armoured guard before he raced after BB-8 who was already heading for the exit, Sola and Lizzy in tow.

"What happened?!" They were sprinting through the hallways as soon as Poe had grabbed their bag of belongings from their quarters of the Palace, running so fast Sola was already out of breath and panting by the time they reached the transports lowered boarding ramp.

"The First Order found the Resistance hideout, they're evacuating right now and heading towards a possible new permanent base on a jungle moon planet called Ajan Kloss" Poe huffed as he hurled the bag into a corner of the ship and flew into the cockpit, Lizzy and Sola on his heel after the medic had shut the boarding ramp on her way up.

"Vancil ratted us out?" The medic huffed, hand finding a hold on the back of the Commanders seat to steady herself as the ship rose into the air slowly.

"Looks like it" Poe grumbled flicking switches and clicking buttons so fast his hands were a blur to Sola. 

"Does that mean they're coming for us too, do they know we're on Naboo?!" The mechanic held onto the doorframe to the cockpit for dear life as Poe skilfully swirled the ship around in the air and began heading towards the sky at a rapid ascent.

"Wasn't gonna stick around to find out" He muttered checking the scanners as soon as he could only to curse under his breath and turn his head towards the two woman behind his seat.

"Speaking of, we have company. First Order ships approaching, Lizzy get on the gun turret, I assume you know how to use it?"

"Well enough"

Lizzy nodded without protest and squeezed past Sola towards the singular small turret the ship possessed, you could barely call it a weapon at all really, Sola wasn't even sure it would penetrate anything harder than wood.

"What am I doing?" The mechanic asked, staring from the cockpit window back at Poe who flexed his hands as if preparing for an oncoming fight. 

"You're my co-pilot strap yourself in Sweetheart, this is going to be a bumpy ride".


	37. Crash Course

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No better way to learn than when you're hurling through the depths if deep space with TIE fighters chasing after you.

As soon as Sola practically fell into the co-pilots seat her head whirred a million miles an hour, eyes flying over the blinking buttons and back to Poe who was intensely focused on keeping the ship on course.

"Poe, I've never flown a ship before!" The mechanic said, panic bubbling in her throat when her eyes caught the distant silhouettes of TIE fighters racing towards them.

"Don't worry, I'll talk you through it" He pilot replied easily, though it didn't do much to quench her worries one bit. The speeders she was experienced with had a lot less toggles and buttons than this cockpit, and none of them possessed the delicacy of a hyperdrive either.

"You remember the skim-speeders on Crait?" Poe asked, glancing over at her.

"Yeah?" She failed to see the similarities with this situation beyond the First Order attacking them but remained vigilant, if a little hesitant. 

"Same principal. You're gonna follow my instructions, when I point out a button you press it, when I tell you to push a lever you push it, got it?" Even as Commander Dameron talked her through the upcoming task, Sola needed to steady, ground herself to be able to stop her hands from shaking. 

"Okay, let's see what that title of 'best pilot in the galaxy' is really worth" The humour even in such a dim situation wasn't missed and Poe shot her a cocky grin and smirk that made her breathe out a chuckle. 

They were in this together, and they would come out of this together, dead or a alive. At least the mechanic had the comfort of knowing she would die with her friends.

"Liz, you see the TIE's, dead ahead?" Poe spoke into the com on the ships panel to his right, a small huff from Lizzy was heard, most likely readjusting the weapons aim.

"Never call me that again, only Sola gets to call me that, and yeah I see them" The medic replied.

Poe only rolled his eyes as he stared out ahead at the fleet of TIE's closing in on them. Sola counted six at least.

"Light em up, we're going right down the middle. We need to lead them as far away from Naboo as possible and lose them before we head for the Klossland system" His instructions were firm, and Sola couldn't help but awe at what every pilot in his Squadron must experience when their Commander was in his element. 

"Copy that, I'll give them hell" Lizzy didn't hesitate to start firing as soon as the ships were in range, the blue blaster fire mingling amongst the TIE's red fire as they swerved to dodge the barrage and aim their own shots.

"The shields, green button bottom right above the white lever" 

Sola almost missed the words, so engrossed with watching Poe steer the ship from side to side as they manoeuvred their way through the enemy ships, Poe had to look pointedly at her before she jumped into action and found the button. Exactly where he said it would be and clicked it.

"Now the two buttons beside it, quickly" He urged, and this time she complied instantly clicking each button until the ship's shields flashed to light. 

A harsh turn to the left almost threw her from her seat as the pilot steered to avoid a particularly nasty pair of cannon shots that were heading straight for their heads inside the cockpit. It reminded her to actually fasten the seatbelts on the co-pilots seat before she would be completely thrown from her chair. 

"This ship won't be able to handle many direct hits" Poe grumbled under his breath, they were just about to break atmosphere and he was thinking hard on where to head to next. Hyperspace seemed like a good idea, but that would mean risking the TIE's turning around to rain fire down on Theed before the city had any time to prepare its defences. 

A TIE blew into pieces at their side, rubble bouncing against the ship and making the walls rattle unnervingly in their ears "Good shot!" Sola said into the com, Lizzy's loud laugh being the only reply she needed.

"We need to lose em" Poe spun the ship through another two ships that had turned to try to intercept them, the action making Sola grip her chairs sides for dear life. He really was a reckless pilot in and out of his Starfighters. 

"Can't we go any faster?" This was a transport shuttle over anything else, it wasn't exactly meant for combat. 

"Not unless you know how to override the ships protocol settings and-"

"Reroute the engine thrusters?" Sola finished for him, their eyes meeting from across where they sat. His eyes were wide, and Sola knew she was exactly right with the conclusion they had reached. 

"I'm on it, try to keep her steady" Sola was out of her seat and down the hall before Poe even had a chance to protest such a risky action, he wasn't really one to talk on the topic of dangerous behaviour after all. 

"I thought you said you only knew how to fix droids?" The Commander called after her loudly, clearly meant to tease her.

"Rose taught me a little something" The blond shook her head and held back a small laugh, slowing down when she met the engine space and peeled away the panel that concealed the wires and compartments she would need access to. Everything blinked at her at once, the warm heat of the ships working engines blasting against her face, making her squint her eyes for a brief moment before she began her search.

Another blast made the ship shake violently, tilting dangerously until she had to hold onto something in order not to slide across the floor "I thought I told you to keep her steady, Commander Dameron!" Sola yelled with a huff, pulling forth a plethora of wires trying to decipher the right one. 

"Couldn't resist making it harder for you babe" She could practically hear the strained smirk in his voice.

"Stop flirting you two, I'm doing all the work here!" Lizzy interrupted their banter as she continued to fire, each shot was loud reverberating around the ship.

The tangled wires were a mess as she tried to trace each one to their destination in order to figure out which one was the one that linked to the thrusters and their subsequent engine. Blue, green, red, white, every colour you could imagine were in her hands as Sola pushed open another panel and pulled out one of the metal compartments. 

Bingo.

"The engines will give out when I reroute the wires" She informed the Commander who continued to steer the ship amongst the stars. 

"For how long!?" Poe asked exasperated but determined nonetheless, he'd faced worse odds.

"A few seconds, maybe longer" Sola couldn't be a hundred percent sure, she'd never done this before, especially not not a ship that was actually turned on and hurling through space while she was working on it.

"How much longer?!" 

"Three down, Sola please hurry up!" Once again Lizzy cut in on their conversation, she sounded out of breath when she spoke. It was enough motivation to get the mechanic into gear.

"Great ready, I'm pulling it" The blond yelled.

Poe didn't object and a barely audible grunt was all she got in reply as the pilot moved the ship further and did a flip that landed them behind the remaining TIE's.

"Now!" 

Sola snapped the metal away, pulled the two wires loose and the engines fell deaf in front of her frantic eyes. Just as soon as she found the black wire she needed she stitched the two together and stuck the metal gear back onto place. The moment she'd shut the compartment back up, the shuttle shook, struck by something she could only assume was another TIE cannon, sending the mechanic flying to the side against an adjacent wall.

"Restart the engines Poe!" She gritted out through clenched teeth, her shoulder ached from the harsh impact against the metal wall and she was sure it would promise her a nasty bruise tomorrow morning. But there were worse things to worry about right now.

Instantly the ship was put back into gear, engines and thrusters blasting to life full power as Poe pushed the shuttle to it's full speed. 

"Shields at sixty percent" The curly haired man called as Sola stumbled her way back into the cockpit and into her seat, a sigh of both pain and relief settling her back into the chair, "you alright?".

Waving off his worried glance as he swerved from left to right through the three TIE's turning towards them Poe pulled harshly up on a lever and Lizzy's scarily accurate shots took out another two ships. The flash of light from the explosion reminding Sola briefly on those pretty fireworks back on Naboo they had to abandon because of the First Order. Served them right to be blasted to hell for that crime.

"Three more on our tails, Sola third lever at your knees, push it then get ready" Poe stood from his seat, clicking buttons above their heads as Sola pushed the lever he'd indicated to before going back to watching him warily.

"Ready for what?" She asked slowly, eyebrows creased. Knowing Poe Dameron, it wouldn't be anything simple and easy. 

"Hand on the toggle, you're steering" He sat back down in his seat and grinned at her, taking her hand and placing it on the ships steering toggle that sat between them. 

Oh HELL no.

"Poe-"

"You can do it, follow my lead, trust me" Poe's hand remained over his as he steered for them another couple of seconds so that she could feel the way the ship handled.

Breath heavy, staring at their hands, at the responsibility she was about to be handed Sola turned her eyes from the toggle, towards the window. To the distant cluster of stars amongst the endless black of space, and back to Poe who was staring right back her. 

"Lizzy get ready" It was the only comfort he offered as he placed his hand on the Hyperdrive lever and pushed harshly forward. 

The ship lurched forward, Sola barley managed to keep her hand on the toggle under her sweaty palms. Though the shuttle didn't remain in hyperspace for long and a second later they were greeted with the sight of a new planet, covered completely in water with large, odd, stone structures Sola struggled to avoid as she steered the ship back and forth with a gasp.

Red TIE fire flew past them on either side, clearly locked on and close on their heels. Poe pushed another series of buttons, flashing her a smirk from the corner of his lips before pulling the hyperdrive lever once more back and forth just like previously. 

"Are we light-speed skipping?!" Lizzy's bewildered voice roared through the com between them, a hysterical laughter following as a TIE burst into flames behind them and scattered into the rocks of a desert planet Sola didn't know the name of. 

Was that even possible?! She hadn't heard of anyone ever even attempting such a thing.

"Eyes forward!" Poe's hand was over hers pushing the ship upward up a steep incline of a cliff she was too dazed to notice before letting go again once the mechanic snapped herself out of her initial surprise.

Another planet followed as soon as they were evening out again, the Commander taking no regard for the sheer luck they were surviving on as the stars raced by them and they landed between clouds and rain, a rainstorm above a planet covered in dark green and blue forests Sola barely had time to register as the ship shook sending one hand onto the ships window to keep her upright.

"Shields are at twenty percent, shit" Poe cursed flicking a blinking button off that flashed alarmingly above their hairline. 

"Last one, Dameron" Lizzy informed the pair, one TIE left. That was good news right? 

"Torpedo incoming!" The scanner beeped rapidly and Sola barely managed to steer to the right and downwards as it skimmed the ships hull and swerved around to follow them. 

"Hyperdrive needs a second to cool down" Poe muttered eyes focused on the light blinking beside the hyperdrive lever, ready to pull the second it stilled.

Lizzy's own string of curses, some in another language Sola had never heard before followed before the medic on the torrent fired more shots towards the torpedo and the TIE behind them that had launched it. 

"I hit it, the last TIE is down punch it Poe-" Lizzy's call of victory was interrupted when the torpedo racing towards them collided with the ships rear. At the same moment the curly haired pilot had lurched the lever forward and sent the ship into lightspeed.

"What did they hit?!" Sola gasped as loud alarms and beeps bellowed one after the other, lights blinked in her vision from every angle disorientating her completely to let go off the ships steering.

"We're about to crash land on Ajan Kloss, the ramp is hanging open" The pilot at her side tried to press as many buttons as he could to try an help the situation, hold the burning ship together, but they both knew they couldn't do much else. 

"Lizzy can you get that boarding ramp shut manually?!" Sola asked panicked into the com, her friend gave a gruff breath before she answered.

"On my way" 

Staring down at her hands, Sola turned towards Poe.

"If we don't make it, Poe, I need to tell you-" She began, gulping hard in order to swallow back the panic rising up in her voice once more. This could be it, this could be the end. 

"Don't, we're gonna make it" He shook his head placing his right palm on her cheek reassuringly, her own shaking one finding it instantly and squeezing hard "I'm the best pilot in the galaxy for a reason".

"Let me say it, it might be the only chance I get" It was a plea at this point, Poe knew that too and he let out a breath from his nose as he raked his gaze over her face, taking in everything like it would be the last time. That alone unsettled her beyond belief, but he nodded regardless of his doubt.

Tears formed in her eyes, the subtlest of smiles accompanying them in a complete contradiction,

"I... I-I love you, I love you, Poe Dameron".

The shuttle rocked violently around them, alight with so many different system warnings Poe had given up on switching them off in favour of staring deep into the eyes of the last person he might ever get to see. He couldn't say it was a bad sight, definitely not. 

As the stars around them dropped away and the jungle planet of Ajan Kloss greeted their view outside the cockpit both parties turned towards the sight, instantly tightening the straps on their adjacent seats. Sola gripped Poe's hand which dropped from her face and hung between them tightly. 

Watching helplessly even as Poe extended every draft vent and piece of landing gear the ship possessed to try and slow their decent towards the green planet.

"Hold onto something!" Were the curly haired man's last words before the roar of atmosphere drowned out anything else around them and Sola squeezed her eyes shut to wait for the inevitable impact that would come.

And come it did.

The shuttle landed unceremoniously into a large lake coupled with a waterfall in the centre of the jungle. The ship shattering instantly into two halves. The back end spinning over the water and into the trees while the front dented at the nose and began sinking into the blue depths. 

Everything hurt when Sola managed to wrench her eyes open. Blurry vision, probably resulting from the smack her forehead had made connecting with the ships control panel, taking in the endless swirling water out of the window in front of her eyes for a long time until the coldness nipping at her toes brought her back to reality. 

They were sinking into the water, and they needed to get out now.

"Kriff" Frantically her eyes looked from side to side, watching the water climb up the ships side, up her ankles at a rapid pace. It wouldn't be long until they were choking on it.

"Poe!?" Turning towards the pilot she expected to see conscious at her side. Instead, Sola found him knocked out cold, slumped over held up only by the harness secured around his frame. 

"No, no, nonono..." Unclasping herself from her seat Sola practically fell against the pilots seat in her rush, kicking up water at her heels as she went. "Wake up, Poe c'mon we need to get out of here!" Shaking his shoulders and grasping ahold of his face only resulted in Poe's head lulling to the side to reveal the large gash on his forehead, the sight of blood made her look away. 

No time to pass out now. 

Biting her lip, Sola hastily tried to unbuckle his harness. Her shaking hands weren't making the task easy, and with the pressure of water now at her knees the mechanic couldn't help but hold back a chocked sob in her desperation to save the only thing that mattered right now. 

Finally his restraint broke away and Sola slung his arm around her shoulder and lifted slowly, cold water made her gasp aloud as it reached her stomach and she looked for an exit from the wreckage. She hoped Lizzy and BB-8 had made it out, she couldn't see the other half of the ship where they had vanished to, to try and close the boarding ramp earlier. 

"If you can hear me, Poe, now's the time to hold your breath" It was probably futile to whisper the words at him, but Sola felt better uttering them regardless as she began kicking her feat beneath them. The water was at her shoulders, enough to set them both afloat as the desperate mechanic began scrambling upwards with the rapid torrent now filling whatever corner of the ship it could find. 

Just like that, they were pulled underwater and everything went freezing and murky. 

It felt completely different to the water back on Dantooine. On that day it had been warm, calm, comforting almost even while she almost ended up drowning in it.

This water however felt the complete opposite, disturbed, dark, pulling them under with the weight of their soaked clothes. The blond kicked and kicked her legs out, gripping Poe under his arms and keeping his shoulders pressed against her chest while she scrambled up towards the waters surface. Perhaps the only good thing that had come of the ship splitting in two had been the fact that the large open gap it left behind was big enough for the two bodies to slip through.

The surface sparkled above her invitingly, rays of sunshine reflecting of the surface like a guiding beacon calling her home to safety. Blood and the pulse of her own hammering heart ached in her ears as Sola struggled to keep the limited air inside her body, so much so she felt seconds from passing out if she hadn't broken the water when she did and finally received a new breath of fresh oxygen into her screaming lungs. 

Gasping loudly and coughing as water splashed back up into her mouth, blue eyes searched the lake for the closest bank finding it to her right between the ferns and dirt. One arm still securely wrapped around Poe's upper chest Sola began kicking her legs and free arm out, swimming pathetically backwards towards the land that would offer them safety. 

Every few strokes resulted in her head dunking under for a brief moment, it was getting harder and harder to keep them afloat when she had next to no experience on how to swim and was going off of pure instinct and desperation alone. Sola at least managed to keep Poe's head above thee surface for most of the way until her hand connected with earth and she dragged them both ashore gasping and choking, out of breath.

"Poe?!" Dragging him across the ground until he was completely out of the water, Sola settled him onto his back and began searching frantically for anymore injuries she might've missed. His head injury was the only visible one, and she wasn't sure if that brought more comfort than dread.

One hand on the pulse point on his neck, the other under his nose confirmed it. Poe wasn't breathing. 

Tears went completely over her head from how wet her face was already, absolute fear and dread choking back a sob as Sola looked around her for help. Guidance, any sign of life. 

There was none. It was all up to her now.

"Okay, okay, stay with me Poe, please, please don't leave me" Crouched at his side the mechanic retraced the steps Lizzy had taught her. The first aid training only a few days earlier still fresh in her mind. She could do this, had to do this, there was no way she was losing Poe now. Not ever.

Her hands, so cold and stiff from the water she'd just dragged them out of, settled over his chest. Pressing firmly as she took a breath to steady herself before she began with the compressions. Each one made her own heart rate pick up, glancing from her hands back to Poe every few seconds to check if he was reacting in anyway. 

Another, then another. 

Still nothing.

"Poe, please, please, please breathe, breathe for me" Tears were freely rolling down her wet cheeks as Sola pushed and pushed, desperate to see any sign of life from the unconscious pilot. 

Remembering the next step suddenly Sola stopped and angled his face up gently, leaning down to stare at his peaceful face as she took in a deep breath. Trembling lips found his, her hand squeezing his nose shut, before she heaved a breath into his lungs through her own. Twice, and when he didn't react she shook her head and pulled away to press at his chest again. 

"Please, I-I can't lose you Poe" Every word came out as a pathetic choke as the mechanic watched the life of Commander Poe Dameron slip away from between her fingertips. Even when she performed CPR for the third time he didn't move an inch.

In a last ditch attempt, her hands balled into one large angry fist and Sola Naberrie connected it firmly over his chest.

Poe came alight with a gasp, choking out water from his lungs and spluttering loudly. 

She'd never seen a sight more relieving in her life.

"Poe!" Throwing herself over him Sola sobbed loudly against his neck, arms around his shoulder and arm as she let herself collapse against him. 

He was alive!

"You really think I'd leave this world without getting the chance to say it back?" Poe chuckled groggily against her choking frame, gruff hand coming to the back of her head to pat over her hair soothingly. 

She had no idea what he meant by that and leaned away to look down at his face.

"I love you too, Sweetheart, Sola" 

A laugh, and then she shook her head in disbelief.

"You're a reckless idiot" 

He didn't seem to mind and gave an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders as he pushed gently at the back of her neck to pull her closer. Sola didn't hesitate the follow.

"You're the one in love with me" Poe all but mumbled teasingly against her lips with a grin, angling his head up to kiss her fully. 

"Sola, Po-" The pair didn't even register Lizzy's panicked voice, stuck in their moment of bliss, nor her approaching footsteps as she appeared from beyond the foliage with BB-8 at her side. The medic snorted at the sight before turning away "You guys are disgusting".


	38. Klosslands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe it's about time to face her fears....or not..

Ajan Kloss, that was their new home. After many gruelling days spent aboard the Millennium Falcon moving from one location to the next, landing on solid ground was a welcome pleasure. Their new Rebel base in the Klosslands, it was a jungle planet, the first one Sola had ever been on and the sight was breathtaking.

Trees, ferns, flowers, so many different types of plants she'd never even dreamt of. Each one more brilliant in its green hues than the next. Lizzy had teased her about her childlike wonder when they had crash landed and began to set up the new base, but Sola had merely brushed her off and wandered off into the jungle forest with fire alight in her eyes. If only Grace was here to see it too.

Grace hadn't crossed her mind for a while now. With the Resistance so busy setting up their new base and establishing themselves in the space, every one was needed. Sola had found no time to think back, to mourn. Lizzy had carefully suggested she take an afternoon alone to think, but Sola had refused outright. She was scared. Scared to think about it, to feel it. Her brain had pushed the trauma so far back anytime she thought of her little sister, her dead sister, whom she had killed. Her mind went blank and instead she took another task upon herself to keep it distracted. 

Poe too had been avoiding her too, away on recruitment missions and important duties since their shared moment after she'd dragged his lifeless body from the lake and somehow managed to revive him. Or maybe Sola had been avoiding him? Probably a mix of both. Of course Rose as well as Finn had asked her about what happened between them, but every time they'd caught the look on her face the conversation was quickly steered in a different direction and the topic was left unanswered.

Was that healthy? Probably not.

BB-8 beeped in her ear to catch her attention. Every possible verity of flower she had found so far near the base stuffed in her arms, a couple tumbling out as she turned towards the astromerch. "B, what's up?" The mechanic grinned, already on her knees by a patch of flowers she had been admiring when the droid rolled up to her. He looked at her for a second before beeping in question "These?" Glancing down at the array of plants she shrugged "Been collecting them, aren't they pretty?!" She'd never come across so many colours before, and the smell? Divine. "Want one?"

Again the little adorable droid hesitated before he spoke again, a flap opening from its body to reveal a tool which could take a hold of one of the flowers she was offering. He held onto it gingerly, a red verity she didn't know the name of. Thanking her with a beep, he pulled it inside his body for safe keeping before continuing with another series of chirps.

"Jessika needs help with a droid?" Sola mused, standing slowly to try and balance the flowers in her arms. "Sure, lead the way" Satisfied with her answer, BB-8 rolled up ahead through the grass and roots. Leading her to the open landing zone which housed the tiny fleet of X and A-Wings they'd managed to acquire, barely enough to make up a full squadron. More ships and new recruits were coming in slowly however, the sight was a hopeful one. 

"They call her what?!" BB-8 had decided to reveal to her a little fact about Jess as they walked making Sola snort loudly and speed up "The 'great destroyer'?!" She laughed at the astromech as he beeped again, telling her that all the other droids were scared of her because of how many of them she'd sent to the scrapyard. After another giggle, Sola quieted down again and shook her head.

"Jess?" Sola called as they walked past a row of ships, looking for the top of the dark haired woman's head to try and spot her. 

"Over here!" Pava called back from up ahead, she was sitting below an older X-Wing model with another droid, a droid which seemed to be overly damaged. It was covered in dents and missing panels, beeping angrily at the pilot who was trying to force a wire back into one of its holes.

"I...wouldn't do that" It looked like she would do more damage than good with how roughly she was handling the poor thing.

"Has Poe told you how many droid's I've managed to lose?" Jessika huffed in annoyance leaving the droid alone finally and setting down the wrench in her hands.

"A lot...?" Sola took a guess as she walked up beside her, carefully setting down her stack of flowers to asses the damage on the astromech.

"That's putting it mildly, and it's not like I do it on purpose" The female pilot continued, astounded at her own streak of bad luck with the droids in her care. Poe and Snap would surely tease her about the state of this one she'd manage to damage too.

"Maybe we should get the droids some extra armour" Sola suggested jokingly as she asked the droid to wheel around so she could see the back.

"Is that a thing? Can you do that!?" Pava looked hopeful at the idea, and it made Sola smile pitifully to turn her down.

"No, I mean, I could be possible. But it'll probably just hinder the droids more, slow them down, weigh them down too. It would probably make flying more difficult as well. Not to mention the restrictions on-"

"Alright I get it, I get it. I'll try be more careful" Jessika cut her off with a sigh of defeat, leaning back on her hands to stare up at the X-Wing above their heads. "Why do you have all those flowers anyway?"

Turning to glance at them, Sola grew embarrassed and cleared her throat "Oh-...I was just, um. Just looking...they're pretty so..." It was weird right, to go around collecting them almost obsessively like that, she must look like a kid right now. Jessika had probably seen hundreds of them in her life as pilot, and never spared them a second thought. Sola just couldn't help herself, seeing, touching them they made her feel something again. Outside of her work of fixing things as the Rebel's rebuilt, outside of her evenings with Lizzy and Rose, Sola felt something again when she saw those plants. She wasn't quite sure what yet, but she'd clung to it the moment her eyes had landed on the flowers.

"They are pretty" Jessika agreed, though she still looked a little doubtful as to why Sola was hoarding them like she had "You should put them in water, otherwise they'll wilt faster" she shrugged, standing up from beside the mechanic to stretch her arms.

"Poe was looking for your earlier by the way" 

The words caught a breath in her lungs momentarily, growing nervous at Jessika's gaze.

"He was?" Sola mused, trying to act nonchalant.

"Yeah, did he ever find you?"

With the amount of time she'd spent in the jungle that day, away from base, Sola couldn't say she had seen him at any point nor did she think he'd be able to find her even if he wanted to, "No...he didn't"

Jessika seemed to consider this for a second before shrugging again "Alright well, can do something for you, for fixing my droid?" Sola's hands stilled on the droid under her hands, she hadn't even been thinking when she'd pulled out her tools to start working on it while they were speaking, brain on autopilot.

"O-Oh no, that's okay, it's my job-"

"You'll be fixing a lot of my droids from now on, trust me. Let me do something small in return at least" The pilot persisted with a small grin.

It didn't look like she was going to let up, and knowing the feeling of guilt Sola surrendered with a small chuckle "Alright, could you find a friend of mine for me, she works in the medical wing" She started "I haven't been able to see her all day" Jessika raised an eyebrow at the unusual request before the blond continued, eyes back on the droid as she knocked a piece of metal back into place "Tell her I'll try find her tomorrow, and that this is me keeping my promise. Her name is Lizzy, she's tall, big hair, bigger smile".

"I'm....confused, but alright" The pilot shrugged confused but satisfied with the description she was given before she began wandering away and towards the barracks inside the Tantive IV, Leia's command ship which was being put to use as a multi purpose generator, barracks and meeting spot. 

In the end Sola did have to search for a couple of new parts for the little droid as well as replace a few wires and hammer out a dent or two. But by the time she was finally done, the sun across the jungle planet had begun to set through the horizon behind the never ending trees. "You're welcome" Smiling as she droid wheeled away she turned back to her mass of flowers which lay limp on the ground. They were losing their colour already, she needed to find water, and fast.

"Kriff-" Cursing under her breath at the loss of time she managed to forget, Sola picked them up in her arms and raced towards her bunk upon the large ship where most of the Resistance members slept. She'd managed to share a room with both Rose and Lizzy this time, and they even had a fresher to share between them which was nice. Racing by other Resistance members as they jumped out of her way, Sola hadn't managed to catch on that she had also ran by General Organa, and Commander Dameron in the command centre in the cave in her haste. Her one track mind was so focused on saving the dying flowers, nothing else mattered.

Diving over another branch she finally saw the ramp of the massive ship and smiled to herself, a few flowers had fallen loose from her arms and trailed behind her but luckily most of them remained firmly in her arms "Almost there, almost-"

"Sola? Hey I-" She collided with somebody walking out of the ship ahead of her, flowers flying into the air and landing in the dirt at her feet as she fell back with a breath of air. 

"No. No, no, no, no. NO" Panic struck her nerves, scrambling around in the dirt to try and retrieve the plants as she felt tears pricking in her eyes. They were gone, she'd let them all fall, every single flower looked to be half wilted and now lay astray around her, some blowing away in the wind and others caught in the damp muddy earth. 

"I'm sorry, you just ran right at me I didn't-" It was Finn whom she had collided with, the stunned man leaning down to try and help her up only to have his hand slapped away. Sola was down in the mud on her knees, scurrying around and grabbing every piece of flower, or what looked like part of a flower in her dirty hands frenzied.

"No, no it's fine, go away, please go away" She as crying now for whatever reason that was lost to her, trying to hide her face as she gathered whatever she could, barely two whole flowers were salvageable. 

"What happened?" Hearing the commotion, Poe had ran up to see what had happened, BB-8 naturally at his heels, and looked from a confused Finn down to Sola who was crawling around on her knees. Was she crying?!

"She ran into me, by accident and all these plants went flying" Finn scrambled to explain making wild gestures with is hands above her as Sola brought the plants in her palms to her face slowly, observing the damage she couldn't stop before shoving her face into her dirty hands. They were gone, all gone, she couldn't even look after a bunch of kriffing flowers correctly. 

"Sweetheart" This had nothing to do with the flowers, not really, Poe could see the panic the second he'd seen her running past him. He knew what was going on in her head, she was hyper-fixating on this in order to avoid something completely different, in order to focus on something she could control. 

By her side, the pilot placed a careful hand on her shoulder. Any bitterness of their time spent apart, avoiding each other forgotten. She didn't respond. "Sola, it's okay, we can pick some more flowers, how does that sound?"

Apparently the wrong words, she shook her head frantically from side to side "No! Poe, you don't get it, I couldn't- I couldn't even look after these ones" the mechanic trembled her face covered in dirt and earth and pieces of grass when she turned her wide tear glistening eyes to his own. She looked a mess.

"We all slip up sometimes-"

"I killed them. Like I killed her!" 

Finn, Poe, and anyone else standing nearby stared in silence, only two of them knowing exactly what she was referring to. They stared at each other and Poe needed a long second to recover from that heavy statement before he could say anything else.

A sob broke the silence, Sola's head dropping to stare down at her hands. Those hands, they where they hands that had killed Gracie. Pulled the trigger on that First Order blaster and snuffed the light out of her eyes. 

She felt like cutting them off. 

"You did what you had to" Poe finally spoke quietly after waving away whoever was unfortunate to stand nearby, Finn giving him an apologetic look before crouching down to join the two in he dirt, his own hand on Sola's opposite shoulder. 

"I'm a murderer" Sola corrected him gruffly through her silent tears biting at her bottom lip painfully as the memory of the act flashed through her mind over and over on a never ending loop. 

"You saved us both Sola" As much as it had killed her inside to do so, she had risked her life for them both to take down that Lieutenant.

"It's the First Order" Finn added gently, anger flared in his features for a second before he settled "They do this, twist people's minds, force them to do unspeakable things. You survived, yes you had to kill, but it doesn't make you a killer" He glanced at Poe then, as if he were addressing them both "It makes you a survivor, a fighter".

"You think...I'm a fighter?" The word had made Sola perk up, slowly looking up from her hands to Finn at her side, hopeful.

"Hell yes, the way you handled that Speeder on Crait? The way you snuck out of a Dreadnought?!" He looked impressed and proud of her, no one had looked proud of her like that before. 

"Poe did most of the-"

"Oh no, I'm not taking the credit for this one. Honours all yours Sweetheart" He would not let her deny her accomplishments for this, "You said you couldn't fly ships, but we saw the way you dodged those TIE's" he grinned as Sola turned to smile at him softly, tears finally stilling and the manic panic in her veins washing away from her body. She'd missed seeing Poe happy, smiling because of her.

"Thank you...both" She took a small breath, wiping at her face only to spread more dirt across her forehead. 

A click, then a flip, and finally BB-8 made himself known from behind Poe. He was holding out the flower he had accepted from Sola earlier, offering it to her with a low beep until she reached out to take it. "For me?" He was giving her back her own gift to him, selflessly, and it made the smile on her face widen almost painfully. 

He beeped again in confirmation as she rolled the red flower gently in her fingertips, "Thank you B" she would not let this one die.

"You need a shower" Finn commented suddenly with a laugh when she looked at him offended.

"And a change of clothes" Poe finished holding his nose as if to try and keep the smell of her from his nose. They both deserved the slight slap to their shoulders once they had helped the mechanic to her feet. 

"And you guys need to get yourself a decent nights sleep".


	39. Black Leader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A starlight discussion ends in the thing Sola least expected, looks like Black Leader is ready to tea h her sooner than expected.

Poe most of all had seen the least rest out of the Resistance. Black Squadron had been in and out of missions even while they were travelling through space in the Millennium Falcon. Each one more dangerous, and more important. He'd even invited Sola along on several occasions, one of which involved saving a city including its Prime Minister, and attending a party after to scout out First Order sympathisers or lack thereof, as well as securing more Resistance support. From what she had heard, it was a successful, besides the recruiting part. The party sounded eventful enough to make her a little jealous. What Poe might've looked like all dressed up and with a martini glass in his hand? She was sure many would have been drooling at the sight, Jess had even said she'd caught a couple of the stares and warded off a few people that got a little too comfortable around the Commander. Sola had to thank the dark haired pilot for that one quietly, without Poe hearing.

Poe never had been the best for Politics, he preferred piloting over everything else. Though he did try his best, and caught a lot of the fear in the room which radiated silently under everyone's words, resulting in many commenting on the silent consensus that perhaps joining the First Order, could gain them a lot of financial profits. He held his tongue through it all. Black Squadron, the Resistance, had just risked their lives saving them from First Order occupation, and already the party guests and diplomats were ready to throw themselves into their tyrannical hands again.

"Sometimes people find it easier to respond to fear, than to what is right" Sola had commented to interrupt his description of that evening as they lay quietly under the stars together that night, her words being something she silently had succumb to in the past many times and would be a hypocrite to judge others for. 

The pilots head turned to her, conflicted but not disagreeing.

"I was ready to scream and shout at them all, that they were cowards, ready to bow down to the First Order to save their own tails and fill their already well lined pockets without any concern for-" 

"Poe" His rant was cut off only to cause him to sigh again, the grimace that had formed on his face fading slowly. It was easy to get worked up about all of it, even if he couldn't do anything to stop it. 

"The ale tasted like ship fuel" The subject change made Sola turn her head to him and hold back a laugh, one he returned so he could look at her face through the small dim light of his torch which flickered alight between their shoulders on the ground. 

"Not nice then?" Sola teased after a beat, only to cause the pilot to roll his eyes and peer up again.

"Just because I love flying in them, doesn't mean I like the taste of the fuel" he had a point, but Sola couldn't help but to tease him a little more, new bravery and new priorities having made it easier to speak her mind these days.

"Could've fooled me".

"What did you want to ask me about?" She stopped to stare at him, surprised he even remembered "Back on the cruiser, you said you wanted to talk about something once it was all over" Poe continued folding his hands over his chest as he talked.

Sola hesitated to answer, her eyes following his to the black flickering sky painted in stars. Where to start, there were so many questions she held for the pilot. So many doubting thoughts she fought back at every turn, most of them irrational.

"Us" She confessed softly, the word holding a thousand different meanings just then "I suppose..." her voice ventured off there into silence only the wind and insects dared to intrude on.

"You 'suppose'?" Poe teased though he was far more curious on what she had to say than he let on. He too had been debating that same subject in his head ever since they'd crash landed on Ajan Kloss. Ever since they'd allowed themselves that moment of confession on the banks of a lake which had swallowed their broken shattered ship. He only hoped Sola had come to the same conclusion as he had.

"I'm scared...a lot, especially with everything that's going on" It wasn't exactly a shocking revelation, in times of war and unrest it was like second nature for people to get scared. It would be more surprising if she weren't. But it wasn't just the war that she had feared all her life, and it wouldn't be the last thing.

"I know. I get scared too" It was a mixture of selfish desire and the thought of offering her comfort in her confession that caused Poe to reach and take her hand in the space between them, gently running his thumb over her fingers in a soothing pattern that calmed her almost instantly. 

Poe understood, and he wouldn't judge. He never had.

"But I want to try, for us, I-I want to try...us" Sola could only pray that somehow, in some earth bending way made sense to Poe Dameron who lay listening at her side, "I-If you still want to...of course".

"Sweetheart" the curly haired man squeezed her hand, turning his body to address her directly "You're stuck with me wether you like it or not" he joked lightly "besides, I don't think BB-8 would ever forgive me if I broke your heart".

That little droid would most certainly give him an ear full as well as a few painful zaps of electricity if he ever caught Sola upset with Poe Dameron, of that she was sure. The thought alone made her laugh aloud, a sound she'd missed just as much as Poe had. 

How long had it been since they could just talk like this, relax, and not let a constant battle rage on between their words. It felt more surreal these days to lie peacefully out of conflict, than to be in the middle of a raging war without a second to breathe. 

"We'll get through this" He was deadly serious when he said this "together".

She hadn't known it until now, that those words were the exact words she had been waiting her whole life to hear. 

"Do you think we'll win, that the galaxy can go back to more peaceful times?" She asked in turn, rolling her body over to mirror his pose and face Poe.

"I don't think the galaxy was ever completely peaceful, even before the First Order" constant battles and disagreements in the republic had become common place even before an outright war. Still however, in Poe's mind, there was hope. 

"But going forward, we'll fight for a better galaxy, a better republic, a better future".

Commander Poe Dameron really was becoming a great Resistance Leader. It was a thought Sola held in high regard as she marvelled at the man staring at her under the starlight. What she had done to deserve this however, Sola Naberrie still wasn't sure of, maybe she never would be.

"How about one of those lessons?" Poe suddenly suggested something she'd almost forgotten about and her eyes widened at him.

"You mean-"

"I'm gonna teach you how to fly my X-Wing" 

Why did he look more excited at that prospect than she felt. Sola really didn't want to be the one to crash Poe's precious X-Wing, not after she'd witnessed the way he lost his last one. But with that wild untamed look in his eyes, how could she ever really refuse?

"Poe, I crash landed the last ship I piloted and I barely even piloted it at all, I think you have a bit too much confidence in me" She countered, trying at least to make him see the reason behind her hesitation as she watched him sit up and grin down at her. 

"We had our engine shot out by a First Order TIE then, this is different" He waved off her concern with a roll of his eyes, pulling at her hand to stand up with him eagerly. 

"How is it different?!" Sola asked.

"It'll be just me and you this time" he said, before a loud beep from BB-8 who had been powered down and silent a few feet away from the pair interrupted them accusingly.

"And BB-8, of course" Poe quickly corrected. Pulling her easily to her feet once he spotted the look of surrender in her eyes and taking off towards the direction of the X-Wings hidden under the thick jungle canopy. Rose had done a good job on the plan of the engineered sheet coverings which hung over the treetops effectively concealing the fighter-crafts below, the First Order would find it near impossible to find them here with any of their surface scanners.

"Commander Dameron, I don't think this is a good idea" Sola insisted even while Poe had pulled forth a ladder and began his ascent up his orange and white X-Wing. It reminded her of BB-8 every time she'd laid her eyes across it, the mechanic imagined that was the reason as to why Poe had picked that particular combination of colours in the first place.

"Are you gonna keep complaining or are you going to get your pretty little butt up here and join me?" He sung the words down at her as he jumped into his cockpit, sending down a smirk after her which was enough motivation for Sola to roll her eyes and follow him begrudgingly.

"Thanks BB, I know I can count on you to keep me safe" The astromech had beeped to her of his backup in the craft should she need it as he too got into his position at the rear of the ship, though his words held comfort she wasn't sure how much control of a Starfighter it's droid could really take in an emergency, she hoped it would be all of it. 

"I'm right here" Poe grumbled adjusting himself into his seat while she stood staring down at him at the side of his cockpit. He was sure he could take much better care of the blond than his droid liked to give him credit for.

"There isn't any space for me" Sola pointed out matter of factly, as if she hadn't already sat in Poe's lap the last time he'd had her in his X-Wing, though under entirely opposite, darker, circumstances.

A pat to his lap was offered in reply by the cocky pilot, smirking up at her expectantly "Right here, don't get shy now there's plenty of space" he teased spreading his arms out to either side as if to show off the validity of his offer. He wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Sola sucked her lips into her mouth for a second, readying herself for the inevitable disaster she was now expecting before giving another nod and climbing into the cockpit to join Poe. It was an awkward fit, her legs barely fitting into the space between his own as she shuffled back against his broad chest, flushing at the close contact that made her heart rate spike. 

"See?" Poe mumbled lowly into her ear once she had stilled, chuckling at the way her ears turned pink under his nose before he flicked on the engine. "That's for the engine" he pointed out the button after he clicked it before raising his hand towards a small lever above them "this one warms up the thrusters, and that one" he clicked another blinking light at their knees that made the whole craft rumble and pick itself up away from the earth below "starts the take off sequence" he went on, keeping his voice soft but firm in her ear. It was doing all sorts of unsavoury things to her insides.

Another lever was switched "to put away the landing gear" he mumbled before glancing behind him towards his astromech "keep her steady bud, any trouble and you switch her back to default settings alright?", BB-8 gave a happy beep in confirmation of his instruction that made Sola feel a little better than before. At least he had a backup plan if things went south.

"Hands on the steering, never take it off even if you lose an arm" the odd image she had if such an event ever occurred made her scrunch up her nose at the absurdity of it all. 

"This one?" It looked similar to the one on the other ships she'd been in, even to the speeder on Crait and Poe gave her a nod before he moved her hand over it to show her the correct grip. "The one beside it is for weapons, but you don't need to learn about that yet" one thing at a time, she agreed silently and held the steering lever in a nervous grip.

"Thank you, for doing this Poe" For as unsure as she was about this whole unplanned ride, she felt it right to be grateful. It wasn't often one could say they had the best pilot in the galaxy trying to teach them how to fly a starfighter, his ship for that matter. He hardly ever let a mechanic close to it, preferred to do most repairs himself, so to actually sit inside the precious ship with him in her company. Sola couldn't deny the appeal.

"Anytime Sweetheart, now let's get her going, I'll keep my hand over yours the whole time, promise" Poe practically beamed down at her before taking the com-system into hand "Black Leader requesting take off clearance for a test flight, shouldn't take longer than an hour"

It hummed, static for a beat before a reply from Connix came through "Permission granted Black Leader, keep it within planet atmosphere".

She held him to that promise for the entirety of their flight together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently working on another Obi-Wan x Oc story so updates for this fic will be a little delayed as I work on it at the same time, thank you to everyone's that's stuck around this long and left comments and likes!


	40. Giving All Of Me: Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for things to get a little more heated after a playfight turns into something a little spicier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be NSFW coming up in these next couple of chapters, you have been WARNED.

"W-What?" 

Setting down the screwdriver from her grip, Sola peeked out from behind R2 whom she was currently working on. Even while the droid was an ancient model from before the Clone War era and still held up remarkably well despite it, even a veteran needed some TLC sometimes. She'd begun early that morning, hearing that he would be needed on a task off base sometime soon. Beginning with a thorough evaluation and scan of his outer and inner core, she found no faults beyond a few rusty old screws and a lens which looked worse for wear and needed replacing. 

What she hadn't expected BB-8, who was watching quietly from the side, to suddenly ask however, was a question no one had really asked of her before. One she had to actively think about for a second to even remember the answer to.

"My birthday?" She repeated purely for clarification that she hadn't heard him incorrectly.

"I don't think it's that important BB, we're in the middle of a war, no one pays attention to those little things" She remarked after a beat, quickly finding her way back into the tail end of R2-D2 to place a shiny new part into the missing slot she'd just emptied and cleaned out. 

What an odd topic to bring up for a droid.

"What about you, does Poe ever celebrate the day he met you?" The mechanic asked curiously.

BB-8 chirped happily and rolled closer to her side "Really? Well I think you should have a bigger celebration than just a quiet drink and a pat on the head" In her opinion, they deserved a whole day of festivities for such an occasion. The little astromech deserved nothing but the best from his pilot, from everyone on base really for all the good he'd done for the Resistance.

Lifting her free hand away from the astromech she was working on, and down onto BB-8's little white head, Sola gave the spot a gentle rub in emphasis "Don't worry, I'm almost done and then I'll replace that dented plate you have" he had been waiting so diligently she couldn't help but to reassure the little droid as he beeped up at her in thanks.

"I'm still baffled as to how Rey managed to dent you like that though, you said a rock fell on you?" She hummed, remembering the hectic turn of events that had brought the droid to her in the first place. Begging her to fix him up before Poe caught wind of the little mishap.

The astromech let out another string of beeps and chirps in explanation that made her chuckle while she clicked the new lens into R2's visor. "She was training on her Jedi skills, and a floating rock hit you by accident?" Sola mused, amused at the thought though the idea of force users being close by admittedly being an unnerving thought, even if Rey was the loveliest woman in the galaxy. Kylo Ren and his dark capabilities lingered menacingly in the back of her mind.

"Don't worry" When she was finally done with R2 who happily thanked her and wheeled away towards the Command Centre, the mechanic turned to BB-8 swivelling around on her knees to face him while she fixed her hair back into it's loosened ponytail for the third time that day. The humidity on Ajan Kloss really was starting to become a little irritating.

Gesturing for him to show her the dented section, the droid happily wheeled around to show it to her searching eyes. It wasn't a big dent to be fair, but she knew if his pilot had spotted it before she did he'd certainly be pissed. No one hurt his little astromech.

"Now just stay still-" Pulling out another tool from her tool belt Sola leant in closer, detaching half of the plate and fiddling her wrench under until it popped back into a smoothed out line before she fixed it back into place and leaned back in satisfaction, hands meeting on the back over her head.

"See, brand new, and Poe won't ever find out" 

"Poe won't ever find what out?" 

Fate was a cruel mistress, even to the saints who fixed up little droids.

Poe kriffing Dameron walked in on the scene. Still clad in his orange flight suit that suited him too well, with the sexiest mess of curly dark hair she'd ever seen on the man, presumably he'd only just landed and pulled his helmet off in haste. How in Force's sake he managed to look so roguishly angelic all the time she had no idea.

Sola gaped up at him before quickly taring her eyes away back down to BB-8, screaming for silent help through her eyes.

"Uh..." Searching the jungle floor for any escape, an excuse that would throw Dameron off her scent, she decided for option C, "N-Nothing we were just-"

BB-8 pitched in a quick word, beeping manically as he rolled up to his Master's leg and demanded to be petted. 

"Right! Talking about birthdays, I wanted to know yours so I could plan to get you something" Sola laughed out a breath of relief and stood onto her feet, feet which had grown a little unsteady from having been sitting on the ground for so long that she had to hold onto the side of a tree trunk not to fall over herself. 

"It was supposed to be a surprise..." Flashing Poe an awkward grin, she watched as he let the words sink in, leaning down to pat the top of his droid's head in thought.

"A birthday surprise?" He mused, obviously not believing her completely but having found no other suspicious signs in their vicinity, couldn't dispute her claim either "For me?".

"Yep!" She shot the word out a little too fast and quickly cleared her throat nervously. It wasn't a complete lie, they had been discussing the topic, and she had always wondered about Poe's birthday and if she should ever do something with it. It just meant she would have to install that X-Wing modification she'd been planning for him a little sooner than expected. 

Poe let out a small chuckle of his own when he stood again, nearing her leisurely until he could wrap his hands around his mechanic's waist and pull her closer against his body with a hum, "I wonder what it could be?"

The way he purred those words made Sola's heart stutter in her chest. Nervous hands fiddling with the zipper on his collar to keep them occupied "Guess you'll find out when the time comes" She breathed quickly avoiding eye contact in favour of staring at the gentle curls resting at the nape of his neck. From this close Sola could smell the faint scent of sweat and Starfighter seat leather coming from him, it was an attractive smell to put it mildly.

"You know you don't have to do anything for me right?" Poe snapped her attention back up to his face which had been studying her silently, a small grin pulling up the corners of his mouth. She suddenly felt a little guilty for lying to him about his droid, even if it was for his own good not to find another thing to worry about when he was off base.

"I know, but I want to" Running a hand up from his zipper to cup the underside of hie jaw, Sola let herself admire his face for a beat. How calmed he seemed to look just staring down at her like that, such a contrast to the constant strain in form of frowns he always held when they were in any sort of confrontation or distress, the First Order usually being the cause of it. He looked like he'd aged a good couple of years from the stress and responsibility on his shoulders alone, even at thirty two.

Sola wished she could take some of that weight from him, shower him in love and gifts and everything else she could ever hope to give in order to ease him. Maybe that was selfish for her to think, she couldn't help it.

"Has anyone ever told you orange suits you really well?" Taring her blue eyes away from his face, she adjusted the collar of his flightsuit and took a step away from his arms to peer over his body in emphasis. 

The pilot could only laugh at the sudden remark and ran a hand through his dishevelled hair "A few people, but none that ever mattered".

Was that a flirty remark in there or was Sola simply projecting her desire to be flirted with by the Commander?   
She couldn't quite tell, but blushing regardless. This was technically her boyfriend now for kriffing sake right? So why was it still like she was some idiot teenager in love.

"How's the flying going, any progress?" Poe sat himself down onto a fallen tree trunk as he made the inquiry, leaning his hands on his knees to watch her. 

Ever since their first lesson, in which remarkably they hadn't crashed. Poe had found himself busy with the Resistance, leaving her to learn the basics from an old flight manual and the ability to sit in a rundown A-Wing which was out of commission for the moment. In her opinion it was just as exciting sitting in a craft when it was powered off, as it was flying in one through space. Poe hadn't shared her sentiment even if he appreciated the enthusiasm. 

"I think so" Sitting down by his side, Sola pulled forth the small booklet from her pocket and opened one of the pages. She was learning about what each button and toggle controlled, how to calculate lightspeed jumping, and other things within its pages. The small bent corner on one of the pages showing where exactly she'd gotten up to when she flipped it open.

"It's fascinating, all the calculations you have to do up there in the air" She started, pointing to a particular note of equations at the top the page, obviously scribbled down in a rush "The manoeuvrability of an A-Wing, never mind and X-Wing is astounding" Of course she'd seen them fly above her head before, but to actually be faced with a set of numbers that told her exactly what the ship was capable of was another matter entirely. "And the amount of control a droid can assume if need be?!" Sola gasped aloud and glanced down at BB-8 perched between their knees in awe "You're amazing BB-8 do you know that".

The astromech let out a proud little beep at which she giggled "Sometimes I wonder if we even need pilots, BB-8 has the capacity to steer the whole ship with a few modifications and-"

"Hey, what would I do then?!" Poe cut her off with a whining huff that made her stop and stare at him in amusement. 

"Sit and look pretty?" Sola joked biting her bottom lip to hold back a giggle "The flight suit and helmet would at least suit you better than they would BB" she teased unable to stop the grin from spreading over her face. 

"Oh you think you're funny huh?!" 

She spotted that glint in his eye the second she'd starting teasing him, though it still didn't diminish the rush of adrenaline hitting her senses when Poe turned his body to face her and readied his hands at his sides. 

"I like to believe I can be pretty funny, flyboy" Sola smirked back shuffling back in retreat the smallest bit only to have Poe's hands surge forward and begin their assault of tickles to her side that made her cry aloud in laughter.

"Wrong words baby, you better take that back" Even while Sola squealed and struggled against him, Poe's hands were much too strong and large to easily throw off. Expertly weaving out the lightness of her heart which made it all the easy to fall into the play fighting, even while she tried to hold onto her very much justified point she'd made and not surrender to the Commander too quickly.

"Run BB, he's got me, save yourself!" She joked all the while, causing the astromech to beep manically and race off as if he were being chased by a horde of angry Tusken Raiders.

It didn't take long for her to slip off of the jungle's wooden log and onto the earthy forest floor. Poe followed easy in her wake, grinning manically and laughing with her as she lay squirming and swatting at his hands between her fits of giggles. "Alright, Poe haha-" she heaved a breath shaking her head violently from side to side "I give up, I surrender you win!" 

"Nuh huh babe, you have to say it properly. I'm not letting you off that easy" The curly haired pilot smirked down at her, halting his movements but keeping his hands tucked against her waist ready for another round of tickling if she so much as picked the wrong words. 

"You win, you were right!" Sola grumbled, attempting to cross her arms defensively only to have Poe pin them above her head instead and lean down closer.

This had just developed into a completely different kind of game and her head all but turned as red as the Tatooine evening suns.

"And what exactly was I right about?" He mused never breaking eye contact. She feared what he might do if she chose to, but only in all the best heart racing ways and gulped.

"W-we need pilots, droids could never replace you" The mechanic babbled quickly, her chest still rising and falling heavier from their play fighting than it should.

Considering her for a brief second, the pilot's smirk impossibly widened to reach his ears. He looked starved when he leaned down to brush his lips over her own. The small touch eliciting such a burn on her skin that she could almost wince in its wake.

"You sure..?" Poe all but purred so close to her she felt the warm air from his nostrils hush over her face.

"Y-..." The blond gulped, embarrassed at how she stuttered all of a sudden "Yes".

"Yes what?" Clearly a challenge with how low his voice had dropped into her ear, but for what could be anyone's guess.

"Yes, P-" He cut her off with a finger under her chin and tutted under his breath. One hand still firmly gasping her wrists secure in a hold she couldn't shake even if she wanted to. And she definitely didn't want to.

"You can do better than that, Sweetheart" His eyes raked across her face for her pretty reactions, as responsive as ever as he kept his hand firmly under her chin to keep their eyes connected. He didn't want to miss a second. 

Legs shifting in his position on all fours over her, he tested the waters by gently bringing it up between her legs. Poe didn't want to cross a line even if she seemed to be responding positively up until now, at the first sign of discomfort he would be ready to pull back and comfort her. She'd had enough of choices taken away from her, this wasn't one he was planning on taking without her explicit allowance and consent. 

As soon as his knee nudged the aching area between her legs, Sola couldn't hold back the whimper that erupted from her lungs even if she'd tried. She would've covered her mouth if she were able to, but as it stood, Poe eagerly drank in the sound with a dark chuckle.

"Try again" He urged softly, the control in his tone doing nothing to help the burning, building itch between her legs that caused her to squirm and grind herself against his knee unceremoniously.

Taking a gamble, Sola turned her gaze away to a tree off to their side "Y-Yes, Commander Dameron".

It was the right answer, sadly uttered with the incorrect location of her eyes and Poe pressed a faint kiss to the side of her neck that had been exposed to him.

"I don't know who you're talking to if you won't look at me, Sola" He warned but she knew there was no real threat behind it. 

Gathering courage to face him, she took a shaky inhale of air into her lugs and squeezed her thighs together around his knee "Yes, Commander Dameron" this time Sola had met his eyes when she said it, and the spark it ignited in both of their bodies was undeniable. 

Just a soon as the syllables had left her lips, Poe collided with her in a hungry kiss. Pressing as much of his weight as he could allow himself down on her without actively suffocating or causing the smaller blond any pain or discomfort. Hands soon falling away from her wrists in favour of cupping her cheek and neck to keep her close, while the other served to keep him upright from beside her head.

If someone had told Sola Naberrie a year ago that she would be making out with the hottest guy in the galaxy at some point in her life, the mechanic would've laughed. Not once in her life on Tatooine, even while she was making the plans to join the Resistance in their fight against the First Order, had she even allowed herself to consider the idea, to fall in love or rather, to have somebody fall in love with her? She hadn't been able to even string coherent sentences together upon first meeting the olive skinned, cocky curly haired pilot, and here she was with his tongue down her throat and her body melting into every inch of him that would allow it.

It wasn't the first time Sola had experienced the lust that came across her when her eyes landed on the Commander. She dared to guess she probably felt this attracted to him the moment she'd tripped into his life. 

How could she not?

But to actually lie here, to be pressed up against the heat that radiated from him while all of his attention lingered on her every action, fuelling his own intent. It was something completely different than just imagining the scenarios in her head, her dreams. 

Sola really hoped she wasn't dreaming right now.

"You're staring" 

Poe's words cut her dazed mind back to the present, her half lidded eyes shooting open to their full capacity as she took in his smug face hovering above her. Poe looked just out of breath as she felt, with slightly parted swollen lips set in a lazy smile and his fingertips running over her jawline leaving goosebumps in their wake. 

Shit, he'd caught her staring, the mechanic hadn't even realised she was doing it. Her mind was so fogged up with Poe, how his lips felt on her own, on the possibilities his hands held-

Sola gulped and stopped herself there "S-Sorry" No use in letting her fantasies go haywire now, she was turned on enough as it was, especially with how his knee was still tormenting the itch between her legs so casually.

"Don't get lost in that head of yours just yet, Sweetheart" The dark chuckle that accompanied his teasing words held something behind it that made her breath hitch. 

"Let's enjoy the present together for a little while longer" Poe hummed, admiring the bashful out of breath look that had settled over her features. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to ravish her with endless kisses and caresses, to see what exquisite sounds he could reduce the poor woman to until she became undone under his ministrations and let herself be swept away in a tidal wave none other could take her on.

But they were in the middle of the Ajan Kloss jungle, which wasn't really the most romantic setting for this kind of delicate business. Not that he didn't live for the idea of doing it amongst the trees, Sola just deserved a lot better than dirt and bark especially if this would be her first time.

"As much as I don't want to stop this right now" Poe began, sigh fanning over her face before he leaned his face down to rest in the crook of her neck "I think an actual bed would be the best place to...." he let the idea settle there, listening anxiously to the rapid rhythm of her heart against the side of his ear that made him bite back a chuckle. 

"If you still want to go there. I'd be just as happy kissing you here for the rest of my life" He quickly added, hoping he didn't sound pushy when he brought up the idea of something more intimate. 

Did she want to?! With Poe Dameron, whom she trusted beyond measure and loved more than the stars she'd dreamt of travelling to in all her time spent alive? Yes, yes, "I want to!" That come out a little too quick and she grimaced, kicking herself internally while a nervous hand ran itself into his curls to try and put across her enthusiasm better than her nervous words could.

Lizzy would screaming at her for this later, she was a hundred percent sure of that.

"But Poe I stink, I've just worked all day I'm pretty sure there's more grime on my skin than actual skin" Not that she necessarily minded the dirt itself, but having Poe around so close to her did make her feel a little self conscious. Especially if he would end up seeing her naked in any shape or form. 

"Lucky for us, my quarters come with their own fresher" One step ahead of her, the pilot gave a peck to her forehead before pulling them both up to their feet with impressive strength. 

He had his own refresher?! Meanwhile Sola had to share a room with two others and practically lived in the communal freshers?! The overwhelming jealousy that surged through her at that realisation was enough to overtake any nervous hesitation and she huffed aloud.

"Your own fresher?" The mechanic gaped "And you never told me until now?!" 

Poe couldn't help but laugh smugly, arms crossing over his chest with an innocent shrug shot back at her "Guess it slipped my mind" he joked, taking her hand gingerly to begin guiding them along towards their intended destination.

"Slipped your mind...bantha-shit" Sola grumbled sarcastically as she followed behind him, readjusting her jumpsuit which had mysteriously been unzipped half way down her torso sometime in between their heated kissing session.

The room they found their way into was surprisingly spacious, she hadn't though the ship even held rooms this large for sleeping quarters, especially ones with their own freshers that held within them a shower large enough for two whole bodies. It was safe to say, Sola was definitely jealous of the space Commander Dameron had all to himself and his droid, though she appreciated sleeping amongst her friends. 

"You can use the shower first if you like, just don't take too long otherwise the water will run cold" 

Was the only advice Poe offered her with a wink before she rolled her eyes and stepped into the small room, turning on the shower and letting it warm up while she undressed. She had been tempted to suggest to him the nervous offer of joining her under the warm stream. It would speed things along as well as save them the hot water. But as soon as that thought had crossed her mind, Sola panicked and shut the door behind her before he could see the blush on her cheeks and comment on it.

The longer she stood under the hot stream of water pouring over her body, the more nervous with anticipation she became. Doubts she'd pushed behind her in belief they would never come up in any situation, creeping forward as she wrung out her long hair and stood in contemplation.

Would Poe find her body attractive?  
What if he was revolted by the stretch marks on her hips or her large thighs, or what if her breasts weren't big enough for his liking?   
Did Poe have a type?! 

Worst of all, what if she couldn't perform, was bad at it, or grew so nervous she'd back out in disappoint him in the end.

"There's a towel out here for you" Poe's voice rang out from the other side of the curtain separating the two, she hadn't even heard him enter the room and almost jumped out of her skin when she registered it.

"Poe?" Sola needed to trust him, and so she spoke with a quiet voice over the noise of the running shower head.

"Yeah?" He inquired back carefully.

"You can join me in here...if you want. To save water I-I mean" Sola mumbled hugging herself self-consciously even while he couldn't even see her yet.

A second of silence, until Poe spoke again "Do you want me to?".

Sola smiled to herself, because of course Poe would want to make sure she was offering it not just for his benefit. 

"Yes"

She hadn't even heard him take off his flight-suit, never mind whatever he was wearing underneath once he began pulling the curtain aside. Just as quickly, Sola turned away to face the wall, pretending to be busy washing her arms even if there was no soap on them to wash away.

Don't look. Do not turn towards Dameron, just don't look and it'll be fine. Do NOT look.

"Your arms clean enough yet?" Poe teased beside her, bending down to pick up some soap for himself and rub it in his palms, the noise from his words alone being enough to draw her eyes to him on instinct only to quickly look down at her feet again.

He looked divine. 

Nothing but tanned skin, dark hair and the perfect amount of muscle, and with everything so glistening and wet?! Force knows that it did to her body.

"You're very distracting" Sola grumbled finally, unable to say much more given their close proximity all of a sudden. They were kriffing naked! Her brain wouldn't comprehend that fact.

"You invited me" Poe teased back easily, keeping his eyes above her shoulders respectfully. At least for now.

"I know, I just-..." biting her lip she turned her body to face him and stared up at the wet head of hair, the dark curls clung to his forehead and neck adorably, the sight making her smile "I'm nervous" Sola confessed gently, only for Poe to reach forward to brush the hair from her collar while he shook his head and chuckled.

"Me too" It wasn't the words she had expected, but with how genuinely the pilot said them Sola felt no inclination of any lie. He was just as nervous as she was, that thought eased the tension from her body instantly. 

"I'm worried you'll be disappointed" Sola went on softly, watching as he pried her hands away from her body and took them in his own "I've never..."

"I could never be disappointed in you Sola, you're beautiful" Poe corrected while he finally let his eyes wonder over her naked frame as if to emphasise his point "every bit of you" he breathed when his gaze met her own and leaned forward to press their foreheads together.

She too had stolen a peek at his physique as he had, the sight had almost knocked her off her feat if Poe hadn't been holding her hands the entire time. But still, her heart calmed in hearing his words, in having Poe close and reassuring her wandering mind until they were standing together under one stream in complete serenity. 

Their lips met again once more to ignite the burning liquid desire that had been fed it's fuel for so long neither could imagine a time without it. 

Sola had no idea how she'd managed to survive this long without having her hands all over Poe Dameron, it seemed a crime almost, for how much time they'd lost apart. Something they would certainly have to make up for now.

Just as soon Poe angled his face to deepen the kiss, Sola gladly let herself be crowded in by him against the white tiled wall. The cool juxtaposing contact making her hiss against the kiss with a small smile. 

"If you want me to stop tell me anytime" The Pilot mumbled against her lips, running feather light kisses down her jaw and to her neck as he went on "Or if I do anything you don't like or that feels bad, tell me" he sounded sexy when he was being firm and reassuring, Sola's heart swelled upon hearing his words and she gave a breathless nod back.

"I won't be disappointed or angry" He halted momentarily to stare into her eyes "Okay?" Obviously wanting a verbal answer he waited then to hear it and let his hands rest on her waist.

"Okay, I'll tell you" 

"Good girl" With all the confirmation he needed, Poe gave a grin before leaning back down to kiss her collar. Sucking her delicate neck hard enough to cause pretty marks to bloom over her skin in his wake, ones he took pride in and would definitely tease her about later given the chance.

Each one caused her nerve endings into overload, by his fourth mark Sola was practically on her tip toes against the wall. Head thrown back and mouth agape with silent words and heavy breaths of pleasure she hadn't felt before. Who would've known hickeys could make a person feel this good!? 

"You holding up alright sweetheart?" Poe hummed against her skin when he caught the look on her face. She knew it was meant to tease her, but couldn't help but to answer still.

"Y-Yeah, amazing" 

He hadn't touched her beyond the boundaries of her neckline yet, both had caught onto that fact. Though she certainly wouldn't call it disappointing since his lips had done a pretty good job on their own up until now.

"Can I touch you?" 

Swallowing down the lump those words left at the bottom of her throat when Poe asked the question, Sola lowered her gaze down at his hands before nodding her head. She guided his palms slowly, so much larger and rougher than her own when the blond lay them across her chest and watched them cup her breasts tentatively. He really was handling her like a treasure.

"Please" The plea came out as a pathetic whine, biting her bottom lip as she looked up to face him "touch me, Poe".


	41. Giving All Of Me: Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some new experiences never hurt anyone, especially ones that felt this good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm adding far too much detail than is necessary to these Smut NSFW chapters but here we are haha, the next chapter will be the last NSFW one promise.

Like a predator who had just been offered up it's live pray on a silver platter, Sola watched Poe's pupils blow themselves open wide. He almost looked in as much disbelief as she felt, that this was happening and had to shake away the entranced stare he had held on her eyes before he could begin to pick apart that offer.

Her breasts fit perfectly in his warm hands, beginning with a gentle kneading that made her knees weak until he couldn't take holding back any longer and pressed more firmly into her supple skin to elicit the sounds he craved to hear for so long.

Sola's moans were anything but disappointing, he dared even call them angelic when she finally let them spill from her lips. Even dimmed by the falling water, the fresher walls didn't disappoint in making them echo heavenly against the tiles so that they bounced into his ears at every turn. Tweaking her nipples only upped the pitch, enough to make him smirk as he watched her reactions with baited breath.

"Good?" Poe hummed down at her, already knowing the likely answer from how heavy her breath was becoming at his every push and pull. He craved the vocal response regardless.

"A-Amazing" Sola strangled out the word between her gasps, biting her lower lip to try and calm herself momentarily so that she could take in he adoring look she caught on his face. Her pilot really was enjoying this was much as she was, she could tell from the sly prideful grin he held on his face the whole time, never wavering from her. 

It made Sola want to touch him even more, so why shouldn't she? 

She had wanted to for so long, to mess up his perfect head of curls, to grasp ahold of his strong arms, to run her tongue down his neck and over every inch of his chest when she'd seen it peak past the fabric of his flight suit and jackets. Wanted nothing more than to hold him in her arms forever, and have him hold her in turn until nothing else in the universe would ever matter again.

Lifting an unsteady hand from his shoulder where she had gripped him to keep herself upright. Sola trailed her fingers slowly down his arm, his bicep, and back up to slide down his collar and over his hairy chest where she could pick up the strong beat of his heart under her palm that made her smile wider. It was racing just as fast as her's was.

"Y-You don't know how long I've wanted to do that..." The embarrassing thought slipped out before she could even process them properly and quickly Sola kept her eyes away from his smirking face in favour of watching her hand travel down his shaped torso and to his navel which held with it a trail of dark thick hair where she hesitated any further.

"Oh?" Poe hummed in amusement, the words turning him on more than he let show when he stepped closer to knock his knees against her own. 

"Go on, tell me more" He urged teasingly, running his thumb harshly over her nipple for his simple amusement to elicit a soft moan from her lips that made his bloodstream boil and sink further than her hands had dared to travel.

It was getting awfully difficult to hide the rising erection between his legs for much longer, if she hadn't picked up on it already.

Sola had definitely picked up in it, the second he had stepped closer in fact she felt the hardened tip press to her upper thigh to make itself known. Had she held more confident courage within her the mechanic might've even called him out on the matter to see if Poe Dameron might ever blush in her presence, but she kept those words to herself, at least for now. 

"I think...I've wanted you from the moment we met" She met his eyes again with so much certainty that Poe stood stumped staring down at her. It was such a blunt, out of the blue confession, one he hadn't prepared to hear from her. Hadn't known that the craving to hear it even existed until now.

The possibility of that statement made the curly haired pilot think back on their meeting, on the accidental wonderful coincidence where BB-8 had worked his magic once again, until he chuckled and removed his hands from her chest to cup her face instead. 

"You have no idea how happy that makes me" Poe mumbled with closed eyes, brushing their noses together every so slightly "I've wanted you for a long time too".

If it where physically possible she was sure her heart would've leapt from her throat. But as it stood, all she could react with was a kiss to his lips and a bashful giggle that did nothing to hide her elation.

"In fact" That haughty mischievous spark in his eyes did nothing to quell the building coil of lust in her abdomen as Poe pulled away and flashed a cocky smirk at her "I think I'll help myself to you right now" he mused in a sing song voice, taking a small step but never removing his hands from her face "If you'll let me, of course?".

Quite unsure by what he exactly meant by that, Sola as well as her raging body felt inclined to agree to just about anything Poe would offer her now and gave him a quizzical nod "Depends on what you have in mind, Commander Dameron?" She inquired carefully, watching him as he grinned and began lowering himself down onto his knees, slowly as not to slip on the wet floor of the shower.

Oh.

"I-I don't think that's necessary, Poe I-" 

He practically purred up at her through his thick black eyelashes and Sola shut herself up with a squeak as he lifted her legs easily over his shoulders only to bring her lower half closer to his face "I want to taste you Sweetheart" he hummed keeping his eyes on her to make sure he wasn't bringing her to any real panic with his actions. 

It was shame more than anything else that kept her on the line of hesitation, hiding her face behind her hands as she peered down at him with reddened cheeks. It was clear as day that the pilot already had his mind made up on the matter and was now waiting for her confirmation to continue before he did much else. He hadn't even fully looked at her yet even while his eyes struggled to remain planted on her face out of respect for her response towards the matter.

"Can I?" He asked so innocently, it felt like she were denying him a sweet piece of candy from the way he was looking up at her like that.

"Okay, but..." She bit her lip, prying a couple of fingers from her eyes so that he could see her face better "I'm not all smooth and stuff down there" Sola mumbled ashamed. It wasn't like it was easy keeping herself spotlessly groomed in every aspect when there was a raging war around them and limited supplies for everyone at base. She had done her best with what was available.

"You're perfect" Poe said this to her eyes and then looked finally upon her sex with hunger "In every way, just let me make you feel good" he breathed out, steadying her thighs resting on either side of his head before moving to take a hold of her curvy hips to keep her from slipping down the white tiles any further.

Having never done any of this before, Sola wasn't sure what she was expecting really. The most she'd heard of sex and everything involving the subject was from those crude guys who passed through the cantina back on Tatooine. None really delved into much detail on their bedroom activity when she'd cared to listen, not that they were really great storytellers in any regard. 

This, however, definitely wasn't what she expected when Poe lowered his lips against her dripping core. He began carefully, testing the waters by licking a hot trail up her inner thighs and back down. Her hips jerked at the contrasting heat his mouth left on her skin, involuntarily twitching as soon as he dared to tread against the sensitive bundle of nerves at her clit. 

Pleasure pure and simple erupted from the action. Why had nobody told her that the feeling of somebodies mouth on her could feel this good?!

Seeing the positive reactions he was getting, Poe smirked and ventured forth. Delivering sloppy open mouthed kisses against her entrance that left her gasping with want, before finally letting his tongue run down her clit and past her folds to get to the treat he'd been craving all along.

"Kriff" He cursed at the taste that lathered his mouth almost instantly, curling his tongue inside her to gather as much of the wetness from within her to drink down selfishly "You taste amazing" Poe all but groaned out against her.

The groan did nothing to help the thinning constraint she was pathetically clinging onto, it resonated against her skin sinfully and brought Sola's hands tighter around her mouth to try and keep herself quiet. 

"Let me hear you baby" Poe caught the action with laser precision and urged the words up at her with lifted eyebrows "please".

Just like that her hands fell away from her face, back arching painfully when he delved back into her with renewed vigour and the new anchor she found on reality lay within the curls of his dark and now soaked hair. The grip she found there keeping up a battle of push and pull against her body that she never quite made a decision on. 

Inevitably it wouldn't take long for his precise, practiced ministrations to tighten the invisible coil around her insides. Squeezing and building into a crescendo of whimpers and gasps that were like music to Poe's ears. He was devouring her like it was his last ever meal in this universe, and Sola could find no ounce of desire to ever keep it from him again.

"P-Poe I-" She felt the need to warn him for reasons lost to her dazed, pleasure riddled mind. The words dripping from her lips almost intelligible to even herself. But Poe caught on easily regardless, grin impossibly widening as he nibbled gently at her through his reply.

"Let go for me Sweetheart" He encouraged with a low hum that rumbled up his throat and made her hands tighten in his hair "I've got you, cum for me".

It was all she needed to hear, with writhing hips that bucked against his face Sola let the pressure erupt. Her head thrown back, her hand tugged at his curly hair hard enough to elicit a groan from the pilot as he worked to slurp and gulp down every ounce of the nectar offered to his plush lips. It was like her whole body was vibrating, her fingertips numb and toes curling as the pleasure shot up her spine and into every nerve ending her body possessed. 

Sola had never cum like that before, it didn't even compare to the lonely nights spent touching herself in her bunk when she'd found the energy or willpower for such a thing. Didn't even come close to the heated dreams she'd had about the Commander in the past, endless nights spent fantasising and chiding herself right after realising she'd done so.

Through all of her orgasm, Poe never let up. Licking and humming throughout it all until he finally felt her body slump back against the wall, her shaking thighs calm, and her hand loosen it's vice grip on his scalp. Only then did he pull his lips away and peer up at her with a self satisfied grin. 

"How was that?" He asked as if he didn't already know the damn answer, Sola had to hold back a curse under her ragged breaths because of it.

"Heavenly" She could find no care over the fact her voice came out raspy and crooked from how hard she had just forced whimpers and breaths from her throat, far to blissed out and numb to hold onto any lingering embarrassment for the time being.

Poe chuckled at the tone "We should get out, my skin is starting to wrinkle in here" he joked, they hadn't even fully finished washing and cleaning themselves but that didn't matter much now. Poe slid her thighs carefully from his shoulders but kept his hands on her waist as he stood. She looked far to unstable still, to walk on the slippery floor of the shower without falling all over herself. He liked to take credit for that fact and patted himself on the back internally.

"Sounds g-good" Sola smiled lazily up at him as he turned the water off above them, shaking his head free of the droplets what were falling over his eyes before retrieving a towel to first wrap around his waist, and then another to wrap around her frame before he hoisted her into his arms and stepped out of the fresher.

"What-"

"I got you" Cutting her off with a gentle laugh, the pilot carried her easily towards his large double bed, sitting her down at the edge while Sola decided letting him carry her there for now was the better alternative than her stumbling around like an idiot on her legs which felt like liquid.

"Do you need some water?" The plain and simple care in his question made her smile and shake her head at Poe who proceeded to sit down beside her, large palm rubbing up and down her back in gentle circles as if to ease her from the intense experience she'd just gone through. Even now, Poe held no alterer motive besides wanting to care for her, to make sure she was alright and had enjoyed herself.

She'd never met someone like this before, never imagined she could. It felt silly to be so giddy about it all, yet she couldn't help herself.

"I'm fine, thank you Poe" Cupping his cheek in thanks, she ran her thumb over the small scar which still resided there from his time spent in that interrogation chamber with Kylo Ren. It was a time she didn't want to think back on right now and quickly tore her eyes away from the mark back to his eyes.

"Do you want to continue?" He made sure to keep up the gentle strokes, leaning into her touch and kissing her wrist to emphasise his patience in whatever decision she decided to make.

Force had she fallen in love with Poe Dameron.

Glancing down between his legs without even meaning to, Sola spotted the blatant discomfort trapped under his grey towel and raised her eyebrows quickly back at up at him hoping he hadn't caught her staring.

Poe had definitely caught her, and he chuckled as a result "Don't worry about me, if you're not sure we can just lie down and talk. I have this great story about a Twi'Lek I met one time, did you know-"

Biting back a grin, Sola cut off his rambling by throwing herself into his arms and pushing him down as a result by catching him off guard. Straddling his broad hips, she shook her head down at him and ran her hands through and down his wet her to cup his cheeks, delivering a swift kiss to his lips to silence whatever other words he might've spouted to try and reassure her.

"I want to continue" Sola said quietly, watching his brown eyes of surprise morph into delight as he stared up at her, hands finding her hips.

"You sure?" 

Rolling her eyes Sola repeated the nod stronger this time, grasping a hold of the gold ring which still hung around his neck by a long chain and pulling gently while she leaned down to capture his lips again, mumbling her words against them "I'm sure Poe, now don't make me wait forever".

Flexing his hands on her hips Poe let a chuckle vibrate through his chest before he swiftly flipped their bodies over so that Sola, with a squeal, laid beneath him instead. The perfect position for him for ravish and litter her with featherlight kisses and nibbles delivered to her face and neck that left the mechanic giggling and pushing at his shoulders for mercy.

"Yes, Milady" The Commander joked, laughing along side her only to stop by pressing their lips back together into a heated kiss that silenced them both into a content hum.


	42. Giving All Of Me: Pt. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At this point just about anything Poe Dameron did could make her weak in the knees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Here's the last NSFW section to this section, be prepared for more mayhem and some longer chapters to come. Thank you to everyone for the reading and comments they make my day! :'>

Considering everything. Her upbringing, her inexperience in the act and opposite experience in the ugly sides of human contact, Sola thought perhaps she should've felt more nervous, more scared of having Poe, of having anyone touch her like this. To let them close had been such a sinking fear in her life the second its presence had become faded and dull the mechanic had found the empty spot left behind surprising. She hadn't felt it leave, not in the obvious ways anyway. But ever since Poe's reassuring grip on her reality had cemented itself into her life in all its shapes and forms, Sola hadn't felt the panic in the back of her throat.

Quite the contrast instead, Sola Naberrie felt at peace when Dameron was smiling down at her softly. Never once rushing, never once demanding anything from her besides her happiness and willingness to accept him in her own time. 

She would trust Poe Dameron with her life, however much of it was left.

Was this it then, love?

"You're crying, what's wrong?" 

His voice caught her off guard, unfocused eyes honing in on his frown just as soon as she registered the tear rolling down her cheeks. 

Letting out a breath akin to a laugh, Sola shook her head and cupped his cheek as they parted for air. She could see the concern swimming over his features, fearing the worst in the best situation. 

"They're good tears" Sola quickly explained while he wiped the trail from her skin with the pads of his thumbs.   
Love had been everything she'd wanted and ran from ever since she lost the last of her family, maybe even ever since her father had called her a waste of space for the first time after her mothers passing. Unable to pinpoint the exact moment in time she settled on treasuring the presence instead. 

Giving him a nod when he finally readied himself to sink into her, she surely felt the wholeness that came with completing the action. The stretch wasn't painful, not after the initial entry at least, even that was nothing compared to the incredible feeling that flooded up her spine in gentle rolling waves that reminded her of the scene of the beaches of Corellia they'd witnessed for that brief moment they'd stepped off the transport for the botched auction with Nifera. 

The hazy scene of the distant shoreline she'd barely made out that day vanished in smoke and mirrors when Poe leaned in closer and ghosted his hot tongue up her neck to gather up the moisture which had formed there. She thought it a little gross, but the rugged pilot didn't seem to mind.

"If it hurts, tell me and I'll slow down or stop" 

Unable to even dream of the concept of stopping him now, Sola could only purr in reply while her hips rolled up to meet his own and urge further movement from Poe's hesitant approach. 

He didn't want to hurt her that was obvious, but Sola wasn't fragile either. 

As soon as he was fully sheathed inside, Sola's lower abdomen tightened at the delicious sound that erupted from the back of Poe's throat. What she wouldn't do to hear it again and again, he sounded so tortured in every way that told her he didn't mind at all, it made her proud to be the one that distilled that pleasure in him.

"Kriff-" He cursed under his breath, hot air fanning her cheek as he rested his face against the side of her head to hold onto his composure "You're tight". 

"Is that...good?" It wasn't really a surprise to her to have him state that fact, though it did flush her face with a dark red that was hidden partially by the dimming light in the room. The sun was almost done setting and even the small window was struggling to gift them with sufficient light to make out every detail of one another.

"Yes" He offered the answer without the usual accomplice of snark at his side. Rather, Dameron sounded out of breath and struggling with words, enough to make her eyebrow raise at him in amusement when he leaned back and bit his bottom lip to watch her face in favour of hiding his own.

The pace set started off slow. Poe was testing the waters with his actions every step of the way, calculating the movements in even strokes until he found the spots that made her toes curl and her head lean back against the pillows a little harder than was necessary. She should've known he was master at his craft even outside of his cockpit, Poe never wasted a second of either of their time. Drowning out whatever lay beyond the boundaries of the bedroom in favour of flooding her with nothing but endorphins that made her groan and moan his name like a prayer. 

Sola was sure this might end up fuelling his ego further in the long run, but in all honesty he deserved the praise for the job he was doing and she'd live with whatever cocky consequences came with her actions. 

"M-More" It felt dirty and sinful to ask but she did so regardless, arms circling his neck and pulling him in to rest their foreheads together "More, move more Poe".

"You gonna say please sweetheart?" He bit back a smirk so obnoxiously he might as well have let it spread over his face. 

"Please" An idea, a note she'd made mentally in her mind made itself known and Sola smirked right back up at him "Commander Dameron, please".

The words got the exact reaction she'd hoped for and Poe's eyes rolled around his head in a long winding circle. Hips shifting back, his hands spread her legs wider until they wrapped around his waste and then rested on either side of her head for support. 

"You have no idea what that does to me baby" 

Oh, but she certainly did.

It was turn for her eyes to flutter. The moment Poe had upped his pace everything was heightened. The sounds obscene and loud enough that she was sure anyone wondering by his room would most surely catch on to what was happening inside. Every strong rock of his hips set her body jolting back and forth by the force.

This was Love, not just the sex, not just the feeling of somebody else close. But somebody you cared about, you didn't want to live without, didn't want to face the world alone. Anything akin to fear or doubt or whatever else had previously held her back melted away to nothing but raw euphoric love, Sola didn't even notice the way her orgasm had wound its way tight until Poe was kissing her again.

It was much sloppier than all the other times, mostly saliva, mingled breathing and enough interruptions to barely call it kissing at all but the blond didn't care, returning with fever and hums.

"I-I love you so much" Maybe it wasn't the right occasion for the words but Sola felt the need to remind him either way. 

"I want you to know" Poe was grunting through his vigilant thrusting, out of breath with disheveled hair that made one of her nimble hands free itself from his neck to rake through it roughly. 

"I'm your home now, whatever happens" Poe never broke eye contact when he said it and Sola had to battle with herself not to choke up "And I don't just mean that because of the sex" deadly serious he studied her eyes, gently pushing away the hair stuck to her sweat glistening skin framing her face "You'll always have me, I'll be everything you need me to be".

His hips rolled in harsh circles, hitting the sweet spot that made her gasp and struggle to reply for a long minute he felt no need to urge from her in anyway.

"Welcome me-" She choked and sensed the wetness well in her eyes, feeling absolutely no shame in letting them spill forth this time, gripping him in every sense of the word as she let the images of Tatooine more specifically her old home there, her mother, her father, Gracie, anyone she'd ever grown to care about pass through her mind. She hadn't heard the words in so long, couldn't even remember what they sounded like being uttered aloud, maybe that was a ridiculous thing to ask of him but the curly haired pilot gave absolutely no judgement from his gaze and only seemed to smile wider at the plea.

"Welcome home, Sola" 

"P-Poe!" The sob that left her mouth was a combination of the overwhelming pleasure that snapped and crashed over her body as well as the relief, the sorrow, the happiness that came along from every word he promised and meant.

"Can I-" she knew the question before he even finished the strangled words and nodded harshly, her eyes barely open and blurred by tears.

"Yes, it-it's safe" Still at the height of her orgasm, Poe followed after a few more thrusts and spilled himself inside her with a loud groan that made her bite her lip almost painfully. 

They stayed like that for a while. Intertwined, just holding onto the high, onto each other in their pleasure. Even when Poe rolled off of her, never once did he break the contact, pulling her into his arms and delivering a small kiss to her forehead that warmed her heart. Too tired to say anything else, words were forgotten and all Sola could do was curl up against his chest and let herself contently drift away into the best nights sleep she'd ever had.

"Alright buddy, alright!" The exasperated voice of Poe woke her the next morning. The following angry beeps of a certain astromech indicating to her who exactly he was addressing as she felt she mattress shift and his weight from beside her leave the space of the bed. 

"I'm sorry okay, we were just tired, I forgot to comm you that's on me" He explained with a sigh to which BB-8 accused him of negligence and told him of the worry he had the previous evening when he had returned to the sight where he'd left them only to find it empty. Poor guy.

Finally prying her heavy eyelids open Sola blinked several times until the image of Poe, dressed in nothing but underwear crouched by his droid filled her blurred vision. How early was it? It felt much to early to be awake.

"Don't give him too much of a hard time BB" the mechanic yawned and stretched from under the blanket with a lazy smile, she felt like she'd just slept like a rock. And no nightmares...that was a nice change.

Hearing BB-8 roll up beside the bed she leaned over the edge to pat his head as he greeted her happily "I might've distracted him a little, it was partially my fault to" she could see the smirk Poe threw at her as he stood and held back a laugh.

"Oh, it was definitely more than 'a little'" He corrected while running a hand through his messy morning bed head. Force did he look good.

BB-8 didn't seem to catch onto the second meaning and hurried another flurry of beeps up at her while she sat up and looked for something within her vicinity to wear, eventually coming up empty only to have Poe throw her one of his overgrown grey shirts that smelled of engine grease. She didn't complain and slipped it on with a grin.

"Lizzy was looking for me?" Sola mused with a raised eyebrow before remembering the last time they'd spoke and who exactly she'd lead into the company of her medic friend. 

"That looks good on you" Poe sat back down beside her and gestured towards his shirt with a smirk that made her roll her eyes, she agreed of course and was planning on keeping the item much like she'd held onto one of his jackets. 

"I should go find Liz" As much as the temptation was there to stay longer, and with the way the pilot was eying her. If she didn't go to find the impatient medic soon, Lizzy would surely come and hunt her down herself. And Sola would rather be found fully dressed and put together, rather than half undressed sitting in Poe Dameron's bed. Too many embarrassing questions. 

"You should" Even while he agreed, he didn't really encourage her departure by cupping her cheek and pressing a soft kiss to her lips that promised her more. 

Stupid cocky flyboy, and he knew it too.

"Or...you could go later, I'm free for another hour before I have a meeting with the General" He suggested slyly and Sola pushed at his chest before crawling out of bed to find the rest of her clothing near the direction of the fresher. 

"Nice try Dameron, but I have droids to fix and gossip to tell Lizzy" The blond stuck her tongue out at him while she walked, legs a little unsteadier than she had expected from their previous night's activities. 

Who'd have thought Poe would make her weak in the knees in more ways than one.


	43. Normality Like Ours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's nice when friends find a quiet chance at normality that doesn't involve war or fighting or the fate of the Galaxy for that matter.

The fresh soaked in moisture in form of fallen leaves and clumps of moss crunched beneath their pair of boots as the two woman walked side by side through the Klossland jungle towards their destination. Sola was sure she would've gotten lost halfway there had Lizzy not offered to take her to the training location Rey liked to occupy here. She'd seen the young Jedi in training less and less as time had went on, the more time she spent training with Leia the less time she spent at the hub of the Rebel base and any other missions off planet. 

Finn had asked the mechanic the previous day, if she found the time, to bring Rey some fresh rations and water since he too hadn't seen his friend for a couple of days now and was beginning to worry. He was away to Force knows where with Rose for the day, and since the blond had a free morning she gladly walked with her friend to meet Rey in all her glory.

Many had started to talk at base about Rey's accomplishments, about her Force abilities, or rather, what those growing abilities could do for the Resistance in the ongoing war with the First Order. Sola could only imagine the pressure the young woman would be under, she didn't blame her for wanting to stay away from prying eyes when she trained. 

"Wait so you and Dameron-" 

"Yes" Sola cut off Lizzy's astounded mutter with a quick wave of her hands "I'm as surprised as you are, it just sort of...happened"

"Happened?!" Lizzy gave her an incredulous look and swatted another low hanging branch away from their heads as they stepped over a fallen tree and through some thick brush. The jungle really was unforgiving when you needed to trudge through it.

"Just sort of happened?!" The dark haired medic repeated as if saying the words herself would make them sound less baffling and more realistic.

Rolling her eyes Sola sent her a shrug before continuing on "Yeah I mean...I never thought it would ever happen at all to be honest, with the war and the tension and everything, I never imagined we'd find the time"

"Oh I think especially with the tension and pressure it was about time" Lizzy interjected with a cackle that made Sola flush and turn her head away. 

It still didn't feel quite real to her either, what had transpired between her and Poe a couple of nights ago.

"What about you?" She countered back up at the taller woman cautiously.

"What about me?" It was unlike Lizzy to hold back on her romantic relationships and Sola had to nudge her side after they battled through some more jungle vines that had gotten stuck in the medic's curly head of hair.

"Yeah you, you and Jess" She clarified with a sly grin at which Lizzy scoffed crossing her arms defensively. 

Ah, so something did happened then.

"I like her" She sounded more serious than playful and Sola dropped the light tone in favour of listening with a firm nod "A lot, she's funny, pretty good pilot"

"Part of Black Squadron I'd say she's better than 'pretty good'" Sola added.

"And we might've made out a little yesterday" Liz hummed smiling to herself only to cause Sola to burst out with a large grin of her own at the revelation.

"I knew it!" She bounced on her heels, pointing a hand towards her friend "I knew you'd get along, besides the physical attraction I mean" Sola clasped her hands together tightly pride welling for her friends happiness and the hand she had in causing it.

"She reminds me of you sometimes" Liz laughed "Passionate, works hard, throws herself into danger far too often from the stories she's told me"

"Hey!" She felt no offence at the words despite the tone and giggled "I don't get into that much trouble..."

"Don't make me list all the times you've gotten lost on Ajan Kloss alone, and that time you fell from an X-Wing last week into Poe's arms" Lizzy teased her happily "Makes me think you do it on purpose with how you swoon at him every time he's close".

Okay, she had a point.

"I-It's not my fault he's so damn pretty!" Sola at least tried to defend herself although futile "And you can't tell me this jungle isn't kriffing confusing to navigate most days"

"Yes, but I don't get distracted by a droid and wonder away when I'm on my way to the fresher at three in the morning" 

That shut Sola up until they reached the small clearing Rey occupied. A small duffel bag and her famous staff leaning against a thick tree giving away her presence before either of them even spotted her body hovering several meters from the ground. 

She looked to be...meditating?

"I'll leave you here you wouldn't believe how many people trip and scrape their knees open in the jungle, BB-8 will come find you later I'm sure, don't get lost" Lizzy clapped a hand on her back before turning away to make her way back to the base through the thick of jungle Sola was glad to have no need to battle through again at leats for a short while.

Unsure of how to approach, she settled for setting down the bag of supplies she had been carrying on her back besides the already present equipment and walking up to the hovering woman as quietly as she could. No need to startle her out of whatever training she was going through.

"Sola right?" 

The voice caught her off guard just a tad and the addressed woman straightened before clearing her throat to answer "Y-Yeah".

"Finn sent you didn't he?" Peeking an eye open as soon as Rey spotted the mechanic properly she sighed and let herself drift back down to the safety of the mossy forest floor. 

"He's worried about you" Sola offered bashfully "You can't blame him for it" hell, even if they'd only spoken once or twice, even the mechanic had began to worry about Rey's health being so cut off from the camp for so many days at a time.

"I told him I'm fine" Rey dusted herself off and began to stretch the muscles in her shoulders and back as she spoke "Sometimes I think he just wants to see me training and uses his worry as an excuse"

That made Sola smile and shake her head, she wouldn't blame him if that were the case. From the second of it she had witnessed herself it was certainly intriguing.

"I don't imagine it's easy" she said gently, hoping not to make any incorrect assumptions about something she had no idea about and offend the woman "Training out here alone so much, using the Force, the responsibility...all of it".

Rey seemed to consider the words, stopping her movements to look at Sola fully "It can be" She agreed before making her way towards the bags and her staff still leaning against the nearby tree "I'm lucky to have Leia I'm not sure what I would do without her".

"I think we're all lucky to have her" With that sentiment Sola would agree wholeheartedly and followed Rey, watching her dig through the bag she'd brought for a ration bar she opened wordlessly and began eating.

"What's it like?" Rey looked up at the question, cocking her head a she chewed.

Was it impolite to ask?

"The Force, the Jedi, all of it" Sola quickly clarified, sitting down and crossing her legs to wait patiently for an answer she wasn't sure was coming. Ever since she'd heard the stories from a young age, the curiosity to know more had grown in her mind day by day. Myths turning to legends which in turn had become a reality with the presence of Luke Skywalker, Kylo Ren, and now Rey.

"Confusing" Rey said simply only to make them both burst out laughing. 

"But also amazing, I don't understand it completely myself, I don't imagine I ever will" She went on after they had both settled back to smiling "It feels all consuming most days, some days when I feel like I finally have a grasp on it, it slips away and I have to start all over again".

"Kinda sounds like flying to me" She knew it was an unfair comparison, the two things were so far removed from each other they probably shouldn't even be used in the same sentence, but it was the only thing Sola could compare it to in her own experience and so she did with a shrug.

"In some ways, unpredictable, dangerous, exhilarating, never the same each time" Rey didn't seem offended at the thought and gave a shrug as she leaned back against the trunk of the tree behind her "If someone had told me I would end up here, with the Resistance, training to be a Jedi when I was younger I think I would've laughed in their face".

"If anyone would've told me I'd ever get off of Tatooine to join the Resistance I think I would've laughed too" 

They gave each other a look of understanding, even if they were different in many ways. Both had a rough upbringing that ended them up in a cause bigger than either of them could've imagined.

"Your flying on Crait was amazing" Sola quickly spoke up, remembering the event like it had just freshly been imprinted on her mind "The way you handle the Falcon is-"

"You should've seen Han and Chewie fly her" Rey countered with a bashful chuckle.

"You met Han Solo and flew with him?!" The mechanic hadn't met him personally herself, barely spotted him in passing but everyone around her had told of his accomplishments. His piloting in particular had come up in competition with a certain Commander who had once drunkenly stated he could've beaten Solo with his own skill as a pilot. 

Sola might've believed him if he hadn't fallen asleep on Snap a second after.

"Just before Starkiller yeah, I heard you're learning to fly too, with Poe?" 

The change of subject focusing back on herself made Sola shrink back just an inch on the ground and turn her eyes away to play with a blade of grass at her knees "Slowly, I'm not allowed past atmosphere yet" She mumbled, unsure if it was even worth talking about "X-Wing's are very different to other ships I've flown".

"I can imagine" Rey hummed in understanding.

"Haven't even touched the weapons systems yet, I think he's worried I might accidentally blow up the base" Sola bit back a smile which Rey caught easily as she took another bite of her ration bar.

"Would you?" She teased lightly to the mechanic.

"I wouldn't be surprised, but I'm decent at handling I could maybe turn the ship at the right second to hit something non-vital..." 

"And what's considered non-vital to you?" She could see the playful glint in Rey's eyes and pretended to think hard on the matter by tapping her chin before shrugging.

"Have you seen some of the outdoor freshers they've installed for new recruits?" Sola flicked from dirt from her hands before looking up to catch the grin spreading over Rey's pretty face.

"I don't think anyone would miss those if you blew them up"

"By accident!" The blond corrected quickly only to cause the younger woman laugh.

"By accident, of course!" Rey put away the empty wrappings of her ration bar as she chuckled to herself.

"Can you imagine the mess though, and the smell!? I don't think it would be worth it" 

At that both woman scrunched up their noses before laughing amongst themselves once more.

"That reminds me, Poe and Finn invited us for some drinks tonight. You should come, take a break from training" Only now did she remember the invitation she was supposed to relay and leaned in a little closer as if to whisper a secret "Lizzy and Rose suggested we beat them in a game of Sabacc, girls versus guys".

"Have you ever won in a game of Sabacc?" Rey whispered back with a raised eyebrow that made Sola bite her lip and roll her eyes. That was besides the point.

"No, but we thought with Lizzy's skill and your Jedi tricks we could take em easy!" The mechanic grumbled quickly.

"I don't think my 'Jedi tricks' are supposed to be used for card games Sola" Rey didn't look appalled at the idea even if the wounds contradicted the sly look in her eyes that made Sola think she was certainly considering the idea.

"Lucky for us no one will be around to call you out on it then".

It wasn't like she was trying to be the worst out of the woman's team, out of everybody on her team Sola definitely felt like the least adequate member. Even while Rose and Jessika had tried to reassure her several times that being bad at something wasn't a terrible thing, it was still a little hard to watch when Poe and Finn threw their hands in the air and began laughing when she lost another round because she couldn't win to save herself or her team.

At least Lizzy and Rey were fairing better, even Kare was a decent player, especially when she was sitting across from her husband Snap who was getting easier and easier to distract the more he drank.

"What is this stuff anyway, I've never tasted anything like it?" The blond mechanic had shared a fair few glasses with Rose up until this point, so much so speaking up amongst the rowdy group had become a lot easier than it had been at the beginning of their session seated under the protective wing of two X-Wings in the pouring afternoon rain of Ajan Kloss. 

"We got it off Coruscant" Jessika explained as she examined the cards in her hand.

"Smuggled it off Coruscant you mean" Snap interjected glancing across the makeshift table made up of several large crates and a small electric lamp placed in the middle that kept flickering every few minutes like it would give out at any moment. 

"Blame Poe, he decided it would be worth wasting an extra ten minutes on before we ran out of that club" Jessika clarified with a roll of her eyes to the Commander who shot her an offended look over her his own cards in his hands.

"You were in a club on Coruscant!?" Sola awed glancing from Jessika back to Poe, she would bet any place there was a hundred times more exciting than any cantina she'd visited on Tatooine or otherwise.

"Yes, and you didn't complain when you tasted it back then Jess, so don't complain now or you won't get anymore" The curly haired pilot huffed and took another swig off his large glass in emphasis that only made Jessika snort in return. 

It wasn't a bad drink at all really, beyond the odd shaped bottles they had been drinking from Sola wouldn't have even picked up on the fact that it was different from other alcoholic drinks. And she didn't doubt Poe might've been the one with the reckless plan for the pilots to get their hands on it in the first place, it sounded like something he'd do.

"What's the score so far again?" Rose piped in carefully from beside Sola, they'd been playing together as a pair after the first two rounds Sola had lost them at the start of their games, it was a solace to know that Rose at least knew the rules of Sabacc better than the blond at her side.

"Five to four for the boys" Lizzy sighed from the other end of the crates beside Rey, she looked like her own hand wasn't going to be any better than Sola's felt hers might be. 

Chewie interjected with a low grunt which Rey interpreted for everyone with a chuckle "He says six to four, everyone keeps leaving out the round where Poe spilled his drink all over himself".

It brought a round of laughter from everyone in the circle that drowned out the thundering rain around them for a split second and made Sola reflect on each of their faces in turn. Rey, Lizzy, Jessika, Kare, Rose, Chewie, Snap, Finn and finally Poe who seemed to catch her stare and send it right back to her with a smirk and a wink that made her blush and turn her eyes away back down to the row of cards resting in Rose's hand. 

It was nice, to feel a sense of calm normality for once. To sit with her friends and people who fought for a common cause in an environment that granted them leniency for once and let them relax in each other's company to enjoy themselves. It had been so long since they had all found their way together at base, it felt like almost everyday at least half of them were called away for an assignment off planet into another battle Force knows where. Each time felt like another one might never return, and each time Sola hoped silently her doubts and worries would be proven wrong. Up until now, they had for most part and for that she was thankful.

"You okay?"

Rose's soft voice laced with concern snapped her back to the present, blue eyes meeting her dark pair to address her "I'm fine" The blond cleared her throat before smiling "Just...thinking".

"About the game? I think our cards look pretty good personally" 

"About us" Sola corrected slowly holding back a chuckle at Rose's eyebrows which raised in question before lowering again right after she realised what her friend meant.

"It's nice to find time to relax together like this" The dark haired woman agreed with a hum as she peered around the circle much like Sola herself had just done previously "I think Paige would've liked it too.."

"She would've loved it, she was a much better card player than either of us" Sola grinned down at her friend before gently placing a hand on her shoulder in comfort "She would've won us the game for sure by now" even if they'd only played together once back on D'Qar, the mechanic could tell that Paige had been a much better player than her and Rose combined.

"I still think it's unfair you get Chewie on your team" Kare spoke up bringing everyone's attention in the circle to her as she pointed an accusing figure across to her husband Snap.

"He's over two hundred years old, he's won you almost every round you guys have won so far" She barked with no real malice only to cause Snap to laugh aloud.

"Yeah well, unless you want 3-PO on your team to make up for it it's only fair we get him. It's four against six" The large pilot boasted as he leaned back in his makeshift chair only to quickly lean forward again once he felt the cold splash of rain at the back of his head when he had leant a little too far out from the protection of the X-Wing canopy wing they were perched under. 

Kare held no other argument to his valid point and huffed instead looked back down at her cards.

"Final totals everybody" Finn finally announced, voiding ay further debates while everybody counted their cards values.

"Fifteen" Lizzy placed her cards down with a sigh, though the number wasn't bad.

"Ten" Kare growled only for Snap to throw her a smirk.

"Twenty" Snap said cockily. It was pretty damn close.

"Seven" Jessika wasn't fairing any better than her squadron partner.

"Eleven" Rose mumbled for them both when she settled own the cards before flashing a pitying look towards Sola who shrugged.

Chewie let out a growl before throwing his own hand down angrily "Looks like a fourteen" Poe mumbled glancing over before backing away quickly when the Wookie shot him an irritated glare.

"It's a ten for me too" Finn sighed bashfully, but Sola's eyes were on Poe and Rey now. Both of them were giving off such a calm exterior that screamed 'I'm about to win' that it was hard not to glance between them expectantly while she held her breath.

"Pure Sabacc" Poe said after a tense second before he revealed his cards and leant back in his seat with the cockiest smirk she'd ever seen on the pilot. 

The gaping mouths from Lizzy and Jessika didn't go unnoticed, but even so, Rey never faltered her hard gaze at the pilot as she waited for him to settle his ego and pay attention again. The woman had something up her sleeve, the mechanic could feel it in her bones.

"Pretty good" The young Jedi said finally, rocking her head from side to side as she watched Poe's smirk widen "Not as good as my hand though" as soon as she said it, Rey lowered her cards and a unison of gasps left everyone's mouths.

"Idiot's Array" Jessika had a hand over her mouth as she gasped out the words to the unbeatable hand, Rey leaning back in her seat all the while to take in the looks of bewilderment on everyone's faces.

"Looks like we win this round!" Lizzy clapped a hand on Rey's shoulder before letting out a laugh at the look on Poe's and Finn's faces, they were practically hanging off of their seats to see the cards on the crate.

"She has to be cheating some way!" Poe exclaimed quickly "Using Jedi tricks or something" he gaped looking to Finn for back up who shrugged slowly, before looking to Rey and across his pilots to Sola herself who could only bite back a laugh.

"You would be able to tell if I was influencing anybody" Rey countered confidently "You're just a sore loser".

"Six to five now isn't it?" Sola hummed before Poe could begin arguing again, Chewie giving a grunt in what she assumed was conformation before all the cards were handed back to the next dealer down the line which was Finn this time. 

"Next game decides who the Sabacc pot goes to" Poe was quick to recover from his loss though he still looked mildly irritated with that frown on his face when he accepted the cards dealt to him by Finn at his side. 

"You're on Dameron" Jessika smirked back at him rubbing her hands together in preparation for the final round of their game.

Even after the outcome of the game, it felt like the most calming thing in the galaxy to wonder back to their rooms through the rainfall. Each one of them splitting off along the way while Sola decided walking Poe to his room was the best course of action after he stumbled against her one too many times, even while he had assured her he was completely fine and able to walk on his own.

"Which number did you say it was?" Sola mumbled as she adjusted Poe's arm around her shoulder and slowed their pace down the row of doors at either side of them. 

"Just that one there" Poe hummed pointing and unsteady hand ahead two doors down, his weight against her side was getting worse by the second like he was ready to fall asleep against her at any given moment. Sola wasn't sure she could drag his unconscious body into bed no matter how much she would try.

Swiping the keycard on his wrist against the pad the door swung open as soon as they arrived, ushering them both inside. The mechanic left the light switch turned off and navigated him onto the mattress in the dark with more skill than she thought she had.   
"Lie back" she giggled when she watched him sway and groan before falling back on the mattress and stretching out across it. Those drinks from Coruscant really had done a number on her poor pilot.

"Lift your legs" Crouching down she began undoing his boots and pulling them off one after another before battling the wet jacket from his shoulders and hanging it up to dry over a free chair. Spotting a charging BB-8 at the foot of the bed made the blond smile to herself, deciding against waking the droid for now.

"Get under the covers and sleep otherwise you'll be cold Poe" He was still lying atop his messily made bed when Sola frowned down at him, hands on her hips like an unimpressed mother. 

"Join me, stay" He grunted up at her simply only to make her shake her head.

"I don't think that's a good idea, I have to be up early and you need rest" She countered, though the invitation was a tempting one.

"C'mon, I don't care about that" He didn't take no for an answer and shuffled back against his pillows making space for her by getting under the grey blankets and lifting them up towards the hesitant mechanic.

"Poe-"

"Please, for me?" Poe interrupted with a pout she barely spotted in the dark of the room, his form dimly illuminated from BB-8's charging port light and the moonlight filtering through the rooms curtain blinds. How could she say no to such a look, even drunk Poe had the most adorable pout and Sola surrendered with a sigh, kicking off her shoes and his claimed jacket before sliding in beside him carefully.

As soon as her wet hair connected with the comfort of the free pillow Poe lowered the blanket around them and nuzzled up against her side, burying his head and face in her neck and shoulder with a low hum of satisfaction that made her bite back a laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. He really acted like an idiot when he was intoxicated, thought she couldn't complain he was still warm in the cold bed and the contact made her wrap an arm around him loosely to run her fingers through his damp curls.

"Goodnight, Poe" Sola ushered quietly as she shut her own eyes.

"G'night my love" He grumbled barely intelligible against her shoulder before the low snoring gave away the fact he had fallen asleep immediately after.


	44. Simulations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out neither Poe nor Sola are relationship experts, luckily for them a certain medic is there to drill some sense into the situation.

"I really don't think this is necessary Poe" 

The engines roar as they always did, much more familiar and much more calming to Sola than they ever had been in the past with how often and how closely she had grown to used to interacting with them. It was strange to think that in the past the sound had made her nervous and panicked, caused her to cover her ears or retreat to somewhere more quiet to collect herself. 

But now?

Now they were a comfort to the young pilot in training, now every time she got to switch on the thrusters and start up the ship the rumbling echos in the cockpit were a comfort. A reassurance that what she was doing was correct, and that she was in fact, flying a Starfighter.

Even if it was an A-Wing today, due to Poe not wanting her to handle a more complex X-Wing all by herself just yet, the sense of pride she'd held ever since she'd began flying on her own had been building with every lesson no matter how short it turned out being.

The Commander was a busy man after all, she couldn't blame him for his busy schedule and ever thinning presence on base. Even now as he sat flying in his X-Wing alongside her in the sky after only just having found his feet back on Ajan Kloss land, he had insisted on the lesson as soon as he'd found her working on a new droid tracking device Leia had tasked her with engineering. 

"You're the one who wanted to learn to fly" His carefree hum replied back to her over the com system broadcasting into the earpiece of her flight helmet only made her roll her eyes and turn her gaze from her cockpit over to his across the small distance between their Starfighters so that he might catch the doubtful look. 

"Yes, but not in favour of your health" Sola shot back with slight irritation, Poe looked tired, he needed rest and yet here we was having practically shoved her into the A-Wing and demanded to see her progress in handling the craft without him there to guide her hands in person.

"I told you I'm peachy, just keep your eye on your altitude the trees are looking a bit close for comfort" And by that he meant her comfort and not his, of course. Poe could probably skim the treetops with his eyes shut and feel as at ease as he did when he was in the middle of deep space. 

Letting out a sigh in defeat, Sola relented for now and turned her eyes back to the front of her to raise the nose of her ship up an inch and further into the morning sky. 

"You ready for a flight simulation?" 

Force, she did hate those with a passion. 

They'd done three thus far, two had been simple manoeuvring scenarios to test how she handled A-Wing controls, the third however had been one where a large astroid field had been introduced and in her panic Sola had barely gotten past three large locks before she had crashed and abruptly ended the lesson thereafter to catch her breath. 

"I-I guess" Uncertainty tweaked at her voice, readjusting her grip on the ships controls before taking a deep inhale of air into her lungs she was sure she would need for this exercise. 

"Hey, don't worry. They're just simulations, I'll be right here the whole time to watch" 

As comforting as those words were to hear, the unnerving fear of disappointing him didn't cease however, and Sola had to force a smile into her lips before replying with bated breath.

"I know...they still make me feel uneasy though" She confessed lowly "I feel like I should be able to handle them by now, it's been months, you said you passed them all within-"

"It's perfectly normal to feel nervous Sola" He cut her off with upmost sincerity before letting out a small chuckle "Besides, you aren't me. It's not fair to compare your progress to the best pilot in the galaxy".

Just like that, the cockiness in his voice brew with it the beginnings of challenge and Sola squared her shoulders in preparation "Just run the simulation, Commander, I'm ready".

Poe hid the snarky laugh under his breath terribly bad before he hummed and called for BB-8 to run the simulation on her ship and override functions. 

The screen in front of the mechanics eyes flashed once before the image flickered from the outside view into the image of space.

"We're-"

"Yep" Poe answered before she could question the new view "Pull up, we're leaving atmosphere for this one, make sure life support is on and any broadcasting off, I'll keep us connected with the control centre on base" 

Well, that was a first.

Doing just that, Sola checked the life support button was still blinking green before switching off communications with everyone besides the Commander flying beside her and pulled the toggle under her hand sharply towards herself to steer the ship up into the sky and through the planets ozone layer out into the dark depth of space beyond.

The engines were duller out here, the only sound now coming from within the cockpit itself. It made her feel a lot more exposed and alone out here. Even when she spotted Poe following behind her moments later.

"You remember how to use the weapons system?" 

Maker, that sentence made her nervous when she remembered the first time Poe had allowed her to use it only for her to shoot up a small patch of Klossland jungle to leave it scarred and burning. Not a fond memory.

"Yeah?"

"You'll be using it in this simulation, don't worry you won't actually be firing anything it'll just look like you are through your screen" The humour in his tone let her know he'd sensed the question before she even thought to ask it and for that at least Sola was glad.

"Remember to keep breathing, good luck" 

Just like that a field of astroid and debris appeared in front of her as soon as they were a couple of clicks away from the nearest planet. Had Poe not reminded her Sola would've held the breath in her lungs forever, before she subsequently let out a gasp and swerved to the side to avoid the first flying rock in her way. 

This looked similar to the last test she'd ran, though there were a lot more kriffing space rocks this time where it looked like they might stretch on forever. 

They came at her from every angle to the point her steering was turning into short flicks of her wrist every which way and each turn lasted barely a few seconds before the ship needed to be turned another angle to dodge another flying projectile hurling her way.  
Even if it wasn't real, the need to pass the test was still there. To prove herself, to become a pilot who would be able handle these types of scenarios in real life if it ever came down to it. 

"Doing good Sweetheart, stay focused" Poe's voice caught her so off guard in her intense concentration Sola almost bolted into the giant rock to her right only to swerve under it and let out a cruse under her breath as a result.

"What's my goal here? These asteroids just go on forever" 

Poe only laughed into his mic at her distressed voice before he answered "Your goal is to dodge them, and lose the squadron of ships coming at you"

On cue, her ships tracking scanner beeped and indicated a fleet of ships advancing on her rear as red glowing dots.

Great, just great, as if this scenario couldn't get anymore stressful.

"You've got to be kidding me" Spinning her ship in a tight circle to avoid the first round of TIE fire, Sola wished she had the time to glare at Poe at this moment to try too convey her frustration, though, the sound he made through the com let her know he definitely kriffing knew.

As much as the rocks floating past her were an obstacle, they also provided a small blessing of cover when she used them correctly. Dodging around and behind them, ensuring one was always right at her back when fire skimmed one of her wings, or simply using a couple of shots of her own cannons to blast them into small pieces that floated out behind her as a new hinderance for the craft chasing her. 

Each usage was a small mercy of an advantage, so much so when the first TIE was smashed to pieces due to the fact she'd been able to race up the side of an astroid faster than it could turn to react, she let out a gleeful yell in success and accidentally punched her fist into the roof of her cockpit in her excitement only to make her hiss in pain. 

"Don't get too cocky, remember your ships fuel, you can't use the field to your advantage forever" 

Raining on her parade ever the focused teacher, Sola rolled her eyes before scrunching up her brow in concentration as she glanced at her A-Wing's fuel reserves. He was right, as good as she was getting at dodging, using the rocks to do the dirty work would take too long.

Priming the canons with a few quick switches by the toggle, the mechanic wiped the sweat from her forehead just barely before steering the ship up and subsequently in a circle above the three remaining TIE's to land herself behind them.

Easy enough, a rock smacked into the side of her cockpit making her wince before she began chasing behind them.  
They broke off easily to either side, a smart move even from a simulation and the blond stuck to the one steering left in order to take out one at a time. 

No need to get ahead of herself after all. 

The ship banked to either side much faster than anticipated at first, drawing her in circles around the astroids while she began firing wildly in hopes of hitting her target with a lucky stray shot. 

When one did land it's target, the relief of watching the ship burst into flames and crash was short lived.

"Shit-" Her wing was hit from behind following right after her eyes had watched the TIE crash, the two remaining ones having found their way back behind her at some point throughout the chase where Sola had failed to check her rear or glance at her scanners in her concentration. 

"Always have an eye out for every enemy ship in your vicinity" Poe's advice was a little late, though she guessed he had wanted her to learn that lesson on her own accord before he reminded her.

Steering her ship forward full thrusters Sola had no time to answer when the red cannon fire began it's barrage once more. This time manoeuvring was much more sluggish, her damaged wing making it difficult to spin correctly without drifting off and even harder to focus on anything else than the sparks which it was emitting from below the smoking hole.

The sweat streaming down her neck would've been unbearable by now if had had enough time to address it, sliding down her skin and disappearing into the orange of her flightsuit Poe had pointed out suited her remarkably well. Sola had contested that statement at the time however, orange had always been his colour, his and BB-8's.

"Keep it together, only two left" 

His words of failed comfort made her swallow thickly, taking another glance at the damage analysis on her dashboard that told her anymore damage to that wing meant it would be over. Panic was nagging at her brain, panic she knew she couldn't allow itself to take hold otherwise her ragged breathing would stop altogether and assure her a loss she deserved the right to contest.

"My wing-" She said out of breath.

"You can do more than just dodge Sola" 

More than just steer right and left, or up and down? 

Biting at her bottom lip, Sola only contemplated the words for a split second before she followed the nearest and largest astroid when and idea popped into her head. As soon as she was within range, her A-Wing tilted, damaged wing towards the surface and steered the ship in tight circles around the large rock. 

Naturally, the two TIE's followed right behind her, spinning around with her while she picked up speed more and more in the momentum created. Fast enough in fact that by the tenth turn around the orb she was behind the rear end of one of the enemy ships and within range so that the subsequent fire took it out with two well aimed shots before she broke off, spun around, and by the time the second TIE was back on the other side to face her the next shot took out the last enemy ship too before it's scanners could track her fast enough to retaliate.

"Yes!" Letting go of everything in the ship she threw her hands into the air with pure adrenaline pumping through her veins. 

The simulation flashed success before a warning of an impact alarm blared around her cockpit and she peered up to witness another flying rock collide with her ship that cut her celebrating to an abrupt stop.

The simulation blinked red in her face before going dead and returning her screen to the reality of the outside. 

"What-"

"It wasn't over, you defeated the squadron but you were still trapped in the middle of an astroid field" Poe all but sighed over the com to her, the realisation instantly making her shoulders drop and her arms fall back down to her sides.

"Oh..." Placing one hand back onto the ships control toggle, she shifted the ship around to face his own X-Wing which was hovering gently at her side "Well, it's still a win though right, if that was a real battle I still would've saved the Resistance fleet or base in some capacity?" 

"And as a result gotten yourself killed?" Poe didn't sound impressed at her conclusion "That's not how this works" he scolded her with a sigh "We're not pilots because we go out there to die".

"No, but you're prepared to sacrifice yourself for the cause" Sola countered with a frown, perhaps desperation to be recognised for her mild success in the simulation spurring her on to argue, she couldn't be quite sure.

"Sola" The warning lull in his shifting tone made her snap her mouth shut just as quickly as she'd opened it, the tone of worried boyfriend snapping to irritated Commander making her realise just how much experience Poe had in this field over her. He'd probably ran a thousand simulations in his life, who was she to argue on the success rate of barely the third one she'd passed? 

'Passed' being a very loose term for what had just occurred.

"We fight to protect and rebuild the Galaxy, the Resistance, not to end up dead in every confrontation we end up in. If every pilot killed themselves for the cause there'd be none of us left" 

He was right of course, Poe tended to be right in almost all things involving piloting within the Resistance. Though that didn't stop the desire to receive some sort of praise for her accomplishment from drumming at her insides.

"Let's head back to base, we're done for today" Were his last instructions before his X-Wing turned around and headed back to Ajan Kloss with her own A-Wing following behind wordlessly.

Solemnly settling down her ship into the landing bay, Sola kept quiet. In her head the disappointment of her overall failure drowning out whatever the maintenance member mumbled to her when she jumped from the cockpit back onto solid ground and handed him her helmet.

"How did it go?!" Rose appeared beside her not a moment later, her loud excitement snapping the blond's head up before she turned her face from Rose's grinning face down her ship towards where Poe had landed and was now speaking to BB-8.

"Uh..." Facing her friend again, Sola hesitated to find an answer. "Good? Kind of..." It wasn't a lie, but not the exact truth either. 

"Kind of? Did something happen?" Catching onto the tense atmosphere Rose too glanced over to Poe with a raised eyebrow. He didn't look as happy as he should, by now he should've marched over and began his obnoxious boasting of his prettiest student ever and of how much of an amazing teacher he was in teaching her what he knew. 

At least that's what he'd done each time in the past when Rose had been around to catch the two after their lessons together. This was new.

"It's fine, I just ended up botching the simulation right at the end after I thought I completed it successfully" Sola shrugged, attempting to play off the incident and her obvious disappointment in the matter. 

It didn't feel good to know Poe was disappointed in her, that was the worst part of it all.

"That's okay, you did your best I'm sure!" Rose threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against her side, their shoulders bumping together as a result of their similar heights before the dark haired woman began dragging her away from the ships "Let's get some lunch, I heard we got a special shipment of Jawa Juice today, and some fancy stuff from the Naboo shipment" 

"Naboo is sending us alcohol?!" Sola gaped, forgetting momentarily of her plight in favour of such news. Of course they'd negotiated support and supplies, she had been the one to offer the agreement after all. But the frivolous gift of alcoholic beverages? That wasn't something she had counted down under the category of 'supplies' at all.

"Great isn't it? I think it's a little early to drink though, let's stick to food for now" Glancing at the time at her wrist Rose sent her friend an apologetic look for bringing up the subject before continuing on. Neither spared a glance behind them to the Commander crouched by his droid who's eyes had drifted towards them.

Though Sola had been tempted with each step, just to catch a hint of a smile from him that assured her he wasn't angry with her any longer.

"And he didn't even congratulate you?!" Lizzy gasped in bewilderment.

The medic had joined the two on the large log they were sitting on to eat a short time after, having also asked about the lesson only to reply with an over dramatic outburst down at Sola beside her while she dug into the rationed meal on her lap. 

"Where is he, I'll-"

Shaking her head, Sola hurried to calm her friends irritation "It's fine Lizzy, he was right I shouldn't have lost focus, he was right to say what he said" she urged gently.

"Yeah, but he also had the responsibility to tell you you did a good job, and that you're progressing!" Lizzy didn't take to her defending Dameron and stood from her seat just as fast as she'd sat down "He may be your superior and teacher, but he's also your boyfriend now" she huffed, offended and angry for her friend for reasons Sola couldn't fathom. 

Since when had people- since when had her friends gotten angry on her behalf...?

"I-I guess" 

"He's probably with his stupid X-Wing right now, go tell him how you feel or I will" 

An ultimatum Sola knew she couldn't get out of as soon as she spotted the passionate fire burning behind Lizzy's eyes and glanced down Rose for help only to be met with a pitying shrug. 

"Communication is key, and you looked miserable even while I was walking over here, you're clearly hurt" Lizzy softened when she spotted the apprehension and seated herself again before taking the empty plate from Sola's lap and ushering her to her feet "You might not be a relationship expert yet, and clearly he isn't either, but I am" she stated firmly "so go talk to him".

Each step towards Poe's ship felt weighed down by invisible steel at her heels. Like she was dragging with her heavy words and heavy worry that was only increasing the closer Sola got to her dreaded destination. She didn't want to look foolish, or like she was craving validation...even if she was in a sense. But after Lizzy's outburst, retreating into herself and sulking on her bunk until one of her friends inevitably found her and went to speak to Poe themselves didn't seem like the best option in this case either.

"Poe?" Clearing her throat from amongst the bustle of starships Sola quickly remembered formalities and fiddled with the sleeve of her flightsuit before calling out again "Commander D-"

"I'm over here!" He answered before she could finish the syllable, calling out from under his nearby X-Wing loud enough for the mechanic to hear before she scurried over and crouching down by the hull. 

"Need something?" Poe asked curiously, his skilled hands deftly working on the underside of his precious ship

"Nothing important!" Why did she suddenly feel so guilty for intruding on his time with such frivolous reasons?! "I just, I...." pushing back the hesitation she looked up the side of his ship to gather bravery "I wanted to talk I guess..."

"About what?" Poe found it much easier to answer her in quick succession and she wasn't quite sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"The lesson" Sola breathed after a beat before her eyes snapped down at him when he pushed himself out from under his ship to face her directly.

"What about it?" 

"I know what you said was right- that you were right" She began quickly, running a hand down the back of her neck before digging it into her damp blond hair and through it to release the tension on her scalp in some way "But I feel like..." glancing down at him as he remained laying on his back looking up at her with a cocked eyebrow Sola felt no inclination to witness the oncoming disappointment she sensed he might display at her words and averted her eyes down to her lap instead.

"I feel guilty for it, but I guess I was hurt...a little" 

"Hurt at what?" Poe straightened, sitting up and turning his shoulders and head towards her more properly than she had expected him to.

"That you weren't proud of me, that I defeated those TIE's in the simulation, you know I gave it my all. And all I got was a lecture for it..." As soon as she'd started it the words came out much easier than anticipated and Sola had to restrain herself from rambling any further and let him speak instead when she caught the way he shook his head from side to side.

"You think I'm not proud of you?!" The gentle digit under her chin raised her head back up to meet his dark eyes and Poe smiled upon seeing the frown on her face for whatever reason. 

"Of course I'm proud of you, you handled that simulation better than I could've ever hoped" He said slowly, his gaze drifting from one blue eye to another as he spoke "You're my best student!".

"I'm your only student" Sola pointed out with a deadpan look that made him chuckle before drawing her abruptly into his strong arms that smelled strongly of ship fuel and sweat. The best kind of smell in Sola's bias opinion.

"All the more reason" Poe rumbled out above her, pressing her face into his chest for a moment that made her cheeks warm and doubt flee from her mind, before his hands found her face and raised it back up to look at him.

"I was just upset that you got yourself blown up at the last second" He confessed with a small smile "had that been a real scenario..."

He was scared, he looked scared, Commander Dameron was scared that she might end up like that stupid simulation. The realisation hit her just as soon as she'd picked up on the worried line between his brows and Sola all but sighed in relief. 

Poe wasn't angry at her at all, and she had been a fool for believing it could've been the case.

"It wasn't" She pointed out softly, taking in his features before giving his nose a gentle tap with her finger "Next time I'll get out of that astroid field I promise".

"Oh, next time I'll be giving you a much harder simulation" A smile spread over his face when he spotted the surprise on her face.

"How bad do they get?!" Sola gaped, astounded at his cocky expression that accompanied with it a promise she knew for a fact he'd stick to.

"Let's just say that the First Order Dreadnought I rescued you from won't be the last one you'll ever see" 

"There's kriffing Dreadnoughts in those simulations?!" And here she'd thought a squadron of TIE's was the worst thing she could face in there, even there she'd been wrong.

"I'm proud of you Sweetheart, you did great today" 

All together she was crushed unapologetically against his hard chest again and this time Poe didn't let her go, not that she wanted him to, until Jessika interrupted their 'disgusting canoodling' as she liked to call it, when she'd come asking for help with another droid she'd managed to blow up into three perfect pieces on her last assignment.


	45. Confronting Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes all you need is a friend and a shoulder to cry on.

It was getting increasingly easier to find herself alone in the midst of the Ajan Kloss jungle in the passing weeks. On evenings where perhaps Sola should have found the company of Lizzy in the med-bay, or Rose working on repairs for the command centre. Or even seek out Rey where she was continuing her treasured Jedi training.

None of those options seemed appealing in her head however, not with the way Grace had occupied her mind for nights on end. Haunted her dreams and memory like a ghost who's only motivation was to keep her awake and suffering in her grief. Ever since things had quieted around base, weighting thoughts had taken up the empty space. Even while she had battled to keep herself occupied with anything and everything, there was only so much Sola could do until the General demanded her to go to sleep and rest for a few hours. 

Which inevitably ended her up here, sitting on a mossy fallen tree on a patch of green where a small split in the trees canopy graced her with the sight of the starry night sky. It was beautiful really, but after the first night of viewing it, it was only served as reminder of how dark and deep and empty space really was. 

And of what she had done under that same sky to her own family.

BB-8 had accompanied her this time after the mechanic had made him promise not to tell Poe about her nightly visits to the secluded area of the jungle. He had reluctantly agreed, and had remained silent for the time she had spent crying to herself silently, head buried in her knees which had been drawn up against her hunched over frame. Ever the diligent droid, a silent guardian under the pitch black veil of night.

Sola missed Grace, her sister, the girl she had practically raised as a mother and been abandoned by when she had left Tatooine with spite in her heart and resentment in her stride. She had offered Sola another spot on the First Order freighter of course, almost pleaded at her to join the Order for her sake. But never once had the elder girl ever imagined that her refusal would end her younger sister up at the other end of her own blaster.

Would the war take anymore of her friends, of the family she'd unintentionally accumulated in her time spent at the Resistance? Realistically, yes, war would take so much more than it could ever give. But to ever imagine the death of anyone else only scared her all the further and made her nails dig painfully into the skin of her exposed arms. 

Wanting no one to see her unhappy, staying out here in her own company seemed the best decision. Though Sola felt she had no right to be moping around like this when many others had most likely lost far more than she could ever have, it didn't stop her brain from hurling its insults at her at every opportunity. 

When she missed a mark on another flight simulation: You'll never amount to anything.

When she fixed another droid after a long way of work: You're only here because you are useful, when you cease to be the Resistance will have no need of you. You'll become obsolete.

When she helped Lizzy or Rose with a task: They think you're annoying, others could do these tasks better than you, they shouldn't have come to you for help.

When Poe hugged her hello or goodbye and kissed her forehead after another promise that he'd be fine: One day he would wake up and see that you are nothing, that everything you have done could have been performed by someone else with more heart and more bravery and more skill. That he will regret ever knowing you.

Or when she sat chatting to Finn, Snap, Jessika and Connix over dinner: One day these people will leave you, they will die in this war and you can do nothing to stop it. You're not strong enough.

You will die alone.

The spiral of deprecating thoughts she knew she shouldn't succumb to to was interrupted momentarily when a hiccup shook her shoulders and a quiet sob forced its way from her lungs out into the open. Wiping more pathetic tears from her eyes Sola lifted her tired eyes back up to the twinkling sky in hopes of finding a semblance of comfort to calm her. 

She would never be her grandmother, not her mother, and not like Leia either. For all the moments of pride and bravery, doubt lingered and Sola wanted to throw away every ounce of it as it clung to her frame like a heavy disgusting dark sludge.

A pressure on her foot caught her attention and Sola snapped her gaze down to BB-8 who had rolled up to her quietly to catch her attention. "What's wrong?" He hadn't said anything until now, maybe his battery was running low, how much time had passed since she'd trudged her way out here? Sola couldn't be sure, so she fretted for the astromech's wellbeing instantly.

BB-8 only beeped and shook his head, telling her that it was her he was worried about and that it was getting late.

"Me?" Sniffling, she wiped more tears from her cheeks before lowering her legs away from her chest to hang over the edge of the fall tree log she was currently sat upon "I'm fine B" forcing a smile didn't do much when paired with the red state her face must be in after the hours spent crying, but Sola at least tried to reassure him when she petted his head. 

Just as soon as her hand had connected with the cold metal of his head, Sola pulled it away like it had burned her skin. Staring at her palm in disbelief before she jumped from the log and buried both hands into the cooling soil with a his through painfully clenched teeth.

How-, how dare she?! Those hands, they'd done so much damage, taken so much life, and here she was using them for such a trivial small thing. As if she had the right to bestow kindness with those very same hands.

Small palms dug into the moist soil, digging back and forth with her nails until two small holes were cradling her fingers and the blond saw nothing but black earth where her hands should be connected to her nimble wrists.

She wanted nothing more but to remove the blood from her hands, eradicate it all. Cut them, burn them off, maybe she could even get some of those robotic prosthetic hands?! 

The ideas might seem like pure madness to an onlooker, but it made nothing but sense to a crazed mind full of regret. 

Sola didn't even notice the concerned beeps from BB-8 beside her, urging her to stop before she hurt herself as he rolled against her side and arms frantically. She blocked it out in favour grasping at the dirt under her fingernails and digging her hands in deeper until they stung and her nails dented crescent moons into her palms. The pain was easy when it was physical. 

Force knows how long she had been crouching in the dirt for, but by the time the warm hands of Poe had pulled her hands from the ground she felt her palms and fingers had gone numb and cold and wet. 

"Hey, hey" 

Even with the soothing tone to his voice, it was almost completely drowse out by the numbing drumming in her ears that made everything else around her foggy.

Had BB-8 sent for him? Or had Poe found her by accident? 

"Sweetheart, it's gonna be alright, look at me" It was a plea more than anything else, but it was enough to make her raise her eyes up his frame for his sakes until their eyes connected and Sola quickly let them drop a few inches again to stare at the collar of his buttoned down shirt instead. The ring of his mother glistened from beneath the open space against his chest, screaming at her for the loss she could not comprehend and the absurd notion that she had no right to be out here and have him here to worry for her in any capacity. 

"Please" Sola rasped, surprised at how broken up her voice sounded before swallowing and trying again, wrenching her hands from his hold as she spoke "Please go away, I'm fine, please go away".

As soon as her hands were torn free, much to Poe's bewilderment, the blond dug them back into the disturbed soil, shutting her eyes to the cooling sensation that spread up her arms as soon as the hint of warmth had left her skin. 

Much better.

"You're not fine" Poe shook his head incredulously at her side, frowning deeply as he watched her and just as quickly pulled her wrists from the earth and against his chest again to keep them from wondering anywhere else "Stop it, you'll hurt yourself".

As if he had any right to dictate such a thing, after everything either of them had done. Not that she could blame Poe for any of it, which meant that responsibility fell on the only other candidate.

"I don't care, just go away!" This time her rising tone was accompanied by a harsh push to his chest. One that rocked Poe backwards from his position seated on his knees and resulted in him releasing her in order to keep himself from falling completely backwards onto his ass.

"I came out here to be alone, please go away Poe" Regretting the harshness in her actions, Sola retreated back physically, shuffling back on her knees as she rested her open palms on her thighs and stared down at them as if making eye contact with Poe right now was not something she deserved. Had she ever?

"Do you want to be alone?" Even now he still sounded so understanding, it broke her heart to know he'd lost so much. His mother, hid comrades, the right to a normal upbringing. 

"Please stop worrying about me, did BB-8 contact you? I told him not to..." A sigh and she said nothing else, instead balling her hands back into painful fists as he waited patiently for Poe to take his leave.

He didn't, because when did Poe Dameron ever listen to anyone but himself really?

"You didn't answer my question" 

"I don't want to answer your stupid question!" Flinching at the own volume of her tone, Sola shook her head at the anger flaring in her veins. Unjustified anger at Poe, for caring for her, for being here when she wanted to remain alone and vulnerable, for loving her when she could not fully love herself. He didn't deserve that, he deserved someone whole and good and strong.

"Because you know you don't want to be, not really" This time he took her hands with more care, unfolding them in her lap before lifting her bruised palms to his lips in order to press the ghost of a kiss onto her wounds and hug them against his chest anew.

"I understand how you feel, I know what it's like" Poe went on gently, urging no reply and no further action from her besides listening.

"Do you?" Watery blue eyes met his own warily and Poe nodded slowly in turn.

"It's hard, holding yourself together all the time. Not knowing if the next fight will end up in your death or with a friends" He sighed, like a boulder had just been placed onto his lungs before averting his gaze to the sky "When you're in pain, you shouldn't be alone out here".

"I had BB-8..." Sola countered carefully.

Poe all but laughed out into the cold air, so much his shoulders shook before pulling Sola roughly into his arms "I love that droid more than anything but he's not the best at this kind of stuff".

Having no energy to reject him, Sola let her body drape itself against the warmth radiating from his broad chest and closed her eyes to the comforting feeling "I don't want to burden anyone with-"

"Your troubles, your sadness, your anxieties and grief?" Poe finished for her as he carefully wiped the dirt from her hands with the edge of his shirt "We all have those, nothing wrong with sharing them. Sometimes I get sick of hearing about my own, it's just nice to know I'm not alone in dealing with them" The humour was dry, but it was there and it brought the briefest of smiles to her lips.

"I don't want to lose anyone else" She confessed softly.

"Me too" No judgement, no malice, no competition for pain, Poe understood.

"And some nights I feel so alone, and so...so sad, I feel like I deserve none of this, the Resistance, friends, any of it" 

"You deserve the galaxy in my opinion"

Maker, did she hate and love Dameron for the things he said sometimes.

A gentle rustling of leaves behind them, barely there and so lulling it sounded like just another gust of wind had caused the sound, before Lizzy's voice cut in to answer before Poe could offer anything else.

"And when you feel like that, Sola, you should come talk to us" She stated, swatting away a difficult vine while Sola's head snapped up to face her approaching friend, only to quickly wipe away the mess of tears and whatever else had graced her face in the time spent crying. Neither of them needed to see her like this, at least the dark provided some cover.

"Sorry, I didn't meant to interrupt the sweet moment" The taller woman grinned bashfully, running a hair through her dark unruly hair.

"It's okay..." It felt sort of nice, to be offered help instead of selfishly presuming it.

"I also don't wanna ruin the moment, but Connix sent me to find you, Leia wants to see you both" Lizzy shrugged when Poe let out a sigh in frustration before offering a hand down to them both and pulling the pair to their feet. 

"Right now? It's past midnight" Poe checked the device on his wrist as if to confirm his words, before placing one hand on his hip and slinging the other around Sola's shoulder to push her against his side and place a kiss onto the side of her head she couldn't help but flush at.

"I don't make the rules Dameron, sorry, but it sounded urgent" 

"It's fine Poe, I feel better already, if it's urgent then it's urgent" Sola nudged his side in an attempt to reassure the doubtful pilot who sent her a pitying look of apology before he relented with another over-dramatic sigh and hoisted her into his arms, bridal style.

"H-hey, I can walk!?" 

Lizzy only snorted at the display, tapping BB-8 awake who had been powered down by her heels, so that he could offer them sufficient light to get back to base through the dense jungle.

Sola only squeaked once before going quiet in her embarrassment, watching Poe chuckle above her as he began marching behind his droid and the medic up ahead looking as self-satisfied as ever.

"I know, but you look like you haven't slept in days and like you're about to trip over yourself, I'm only helping before that happens" Came the joke directed down at his mechanic before she grumbled to herself in frustration, unable to argue against his points with how numb and heavy her legs had felt upon standing again, arms crossing and head turning to look at the path ahead so he wouldn't catch the childish pout.

At least Poe spared her the embarrassment of the General seeing her like this and let her back onto her feet out of sight, though his hand snuck its way back around her shoulder loosely when she stumbled a little at the first step forward.

"Sorry to wake you at this hour" 

General Organa looked doubtfully to them both once Lizzy made herself known for the trio upon their arrival, her calculating eyes scanning over the blond and the pilot holding her upright. She must know neither of them had been sleeping, especially not with thin layer of dirt and earth still covering Sola's arms and legs.

"You wanted to see us, General?" Sola cleared her throat, hoping to move on with the obvious hanging in the space between them and onto more important matters. 

"Yes, we've just received intel from on of our spies. They have information for us about the First Order, and their future plans" With how grave she sounded, Leia was certainly in no mood for jokes in this matter and instantly all three of them straightened up to listen intently.

"Are they reliable?" The Commander at her side asked carefully, peeling himself away to near the display Leia had pulled up between them to sift through a map.

"So far they've given no reasons for us to doubt them, their intel has been accurate" She nodded once to Poe and then waved for Lizzy and Sola to join the table with one hand whilst the other pointed towards the holo-map.

Both woman neared instantly, standing shoulder to shoulder to watch as the General enhanced the planet further "I want you to assemble a team to go to the planet, retrieve the data gathered and get back here as fast as possible. I'd recommend the Falcon, it's the best ship we have for the task at the moment".

The planet on display looked small, covered in blue and white tones that indicated a colder, icier climate than Sola had ever experienced herself first hand. 

"With all due respect, why do you need me to be present?" She asked without thinking, regretting the choice of words with the way Lizzy and Poe shot down a incredulous look towards her from either side of her shoulders. It wasn't meant to be self deprecating this time, simply a curiosity. They had better pilots for the Falcon, Chewie and Poe begin the obvious choice, and Lizzy would be there in case anybody got hurt. But her? Some low mechanic barely able to fly a Starfighter? Leia was clever, she knew when to utilise the correct assets of the Resistance and this was no different.

"You'll need a droid to hold onto the data transferred, you'll be taking R2, I need you there to make sure if anything goes wrong that the data and the droid remain safe and none of the intel is corrupted" The General spoke easily back, as if she had been expecting the question from the very start, before a small smile tugged at her lips and she reached across the console to place a comforting hand over Sola's own.

"And I want you there to get you off this planet, it'll be good for you to gather some more experience" The genuine look of understanding in her eyes gave away Leia's knowledge of Sola's recent struggles inside her head, the kindness in giving her time away from base, no matter how short or dangerous, was enough to make the blond smile back at her and squeeze her hand with a firm nod. 

"Chewie will be piloting, he knows the Falcon the best, and I would recommend taking Finn too, he's been getting antsy sitting around here for so long" Pulling back the General paced in a small circle, watching Poe react, of course, with a small frown at having been reduced to co-piloting when he thought he could handle the task all on his own. Though he didn't dare speak out of turn with the look Leia shot him.

"Anything happens to the ship, I'm sure Sola can fix up too" Lizzy grinned enthusiastically, placing a hand on her friends shoulder with confidence. 

"Don't worry, nothin will happen to her" Poe countered much to cockily for his own good. 

Those words would bite him in that perky perfect ass of his later.


	46. Rising Resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to pack up and head towards new important First Order Intel. And maybe lose a few games against a two hundred year old wookie along the way.

Packing was always the easy part to any mission. To any departure from one place to another, at least it was for Sola. She held no tightly wound possessions, no piles of clothing, no valuables trailed with her from family heirlooms or earned fortune. 

Well, aside from one of Poe's gifted now undoubtedly worn and weathered jackets she held draped over a chair in her quarters and hadn't reached for as many times as she'd wished she could have. Ajan Kloss was a warm and moist planet, it barely warranted a long sleeved shirt most days. Even her pilot rolled up his shirt sleeves every moment they decided to slyly slide down his broad forearms even an inch.

Yes, packing was easy. An extra shirt, some undergarments, and some supplies in the form of rations, bandages, and repair tools just in case. What was harder, always would be, was wishing goodbyes to the people you were never quite certain you would see again. 

"Have everything you need? The ship is waiting" Lizzy's voice broke through the mental checklist she was currently working through in her head. The last of which stared her in the face as Sola ran a delicate finger over the collar of Poe's- hers, it was hers now. Her jacket. 

"Do you think I'll need it, I don't want to take it and then look stupid when it's hot inside the Falcon I-"

"Take it" Again Lizzy knew without even asking, she could see the desire to wear it again swimming in her friends eyes and lifted the jacket from her fingers to pushed it into her arms instead "Take it, Poe will love it even if you don't end up wearing it".

Rose cleared her throat by the doorway, giving an unneeded knock to the metal doorframe before taking a step towards the pair with a soft smile on her features and the perfect pair of small buns at he back of her head keeping her dark hair together. Ever since the new humidity of the planet most had grown accustomed to wearing it up in some form, understandably. Rose looked much more sophisticated now, like this, like she'd aged ten years ever since the Raddus, since her sisters passing and the reminder of the morality of the Resistance freshly imbedded in all of their minds. 

Sola imagined she looked no different, even if her hair had faded to its natural light blond and grown a little longer so that she had contemplated cutting it short in the stifling heat more than once already. Her own hair buns had tightened low and out of the way of the typical bright coloured X-Wing helmet she had grown used to taking on and off with every flight test and simulation. 

Jessika and Snap had teased her together with Poe the first time she'd worn it only to result in the mass of hair on her head to become a tangled mess when she'd removed the damned helmet. She didn't make the same mistake after.

"I heard you're leaving early, I thought I'd see you off" Rose's voice sounded tired, they all looked it. It was barely sunrise but Sola knew there was more weighing on them besides the early hour and lack of sleep in recent weeks.

"Finn told you didn't he?" Lizzy raised an accusing eyebrow that held no malice before she lifted her own packed bag of medical supplies over her shoulder and patted Rose's shoulder with a soft chuckle "That man can't keep anything to himself, and neither can Dameron for that matter" She shot Sola an incredulous look the mechanic could only roll her eyes at before she gave Rose a one armed hug, a soft goodbye and strode from the room confidently "I'll let them know you're on your way, don't be long".

Just as soon as Lizzy's footsteps ceased to echo, Rose threw her arms around Sola's shoulders and hugged her tightly. Too tightly for Sola not to take notice and comment on it when they parted.

"We shouldn't be gone long, Leia said-" 

"That's not what I'm worried about" Shaking her head, Rose lifted her gaze after she'd absentmindedly brushed some nonexistent dust from her friends shoulder, seemingly in thought of something the other could not make out. 

"I work with communications a lot, I've heard First Order whispers Sola, they're growing again. And they have agents everywhere" She spoke slowly, lowly, as if revealing a secret, as if someone was listening when they impossibly couldn't be.

It worried her too to hear it, how could it not? But Sola wouldn't let it show, at least not now and not in front of Rose who looked so spooked for her safety when there was nothing to be done about it. 

"The Galaxy talks a lot Rose, but if what you're saying is true then this mission is even more necessary than ever before" A reassuring hand, the one free of her jacket, leant itself onto Rose's shoulder much like Lizzy had done just moments before before the blond leaned in closer to convey how serious she was taking this to her friend "I have Finn, Lizzy, Poe and Chewie with me. We're going be okay, we have each other's backs" 

"Your track-record for missions off base hasn't exactly been...reassuring" The small joke made them both laugh and Sola roll her eyes before stepping away to collect her own small duffel bag, stuffing the jacket inside and adjusting it over her shoulders.

"I've made it back so far haven't I?" Maybe not the best idea to jinx that fact, but Sola needed to let the words to reassure her too and gave a small shrug down at her shorter friend. Made it back yes, but by the skin of her teeth on most instances.

"Please be careful if you can, I trust you all but I don't trust whoever is in the First Order giving out information like this, something doesn't feel right" 

Sola could see her point in the matter, but felt the need to refute it for the simple fact they both needed the hope in her words.  
"Just because something has suddenly happened in our favour for once doesn't mean it has to have anything sinister behind it" She said simply "Things are allowed to go right for us sometimes, right?"

"I hope you're right" Rose remained doubtful in her gaze, fiddling with the tools on her waist.

"Me too".

Despite feeling the duty to depart on hopeful terms and smiling faces, Sola couldn't quite manage to let the grin reach her eyes when she boarded the Falcon and waved to Rose and BB-8 when the boarding ramp lifted to eventually obscure her line of sight.  
In every sense this was supposed to be a simple recon mission, go, pick up the intel, and leave before any First Order officers could close in on their location. 

Why then did everything feel so...dense? Heavy. In every way the surroundings in the Falcon were quiet, excitement stirred when Finn passed her on the way to where she would be sleeping, tapping her shoulder and flashing her a grin and a thumbs up before he disappeared towards the cockpit to find Poe. And yet, Sola felt an impending...something churning at the bottom of her stomach that made her want to curl up into a ball and hide away until she felt safe again. As if any of them could ever feel completely safe again.

Dread was the word she'd pick if she had to, though Sola found no sense in naming it aloud it as it wouldn't do anybody any favours in hearing it.

"Poe says we're jumping into light-speed in a few minutes they're just warming her up first and checking all the systems in case anything-, Sola?" Lizzy entered the room speaking enthusiastically only to stop in her tracks when she spotted Sola sitting on the floor, her bag thrown aside and forgotten and gaze staring at a blank spot on a far wall that lead nowhere. 

"What's wrong, did you trip?" Setting her own bag aside onto their bunk Lizzy neared cautiously before crouching down beside her to inspect her friend for any obvious injuries. None, so why was she staring as if she'd seen a ghost?

"I need you to promise me something" It was the only thing the mechanic could think to ask to quell her for all the times to come that would involve this feeling.

Lizzy didn't hesitate, she'd seen that look before when Sola's eyes turned to face her. Seen it in the eyes of hundreds of soldiers, guards, officers, and pilots alike.

"Anything"

"Promise you won't leave me, not until after the war is done and the First Order is gone" Sola drifted her gaze down an inch, as if it hurt to look at Liz's concerned face before shifting up again to wait for any answer.

"I'm not gonna leave you Sola, hell, I was specifically trained to make sure no one leaves my care. And Maker if I don't make damn sure I don't snuff it either before all of this is done" For such an eloquent upbringing Elizabeth had a way of worming in as many swear words and crude wordings as she could manage. Sola liked to believe perhaps she'd always disliked a rich upbringing in the Galactic Republic Senate, and that the moment she was away and free to do as she liked, that she adapted and decided to speak however she liked to. Rebellion stirred in her blood more than she knew, Sola found that something to admire. Always had.

It was all Sola could ask for an answer to assure her, and she nodded back to hr before extending her pinky forwards. "I-I don't know if anyone else does this in the Galaxy, and to be honest it's not really worked for me in the past. But..." She thought back at Grace, the promises they'd made to one another which never came to fruition. 

"Me and Gracie used to put our pinkies together when we made big promises, to sort of...seal it" Sola finished slowly, a little embarrassed to confess such a ritual she had seen no one else ever do before Lizzy laughed and asked her no more about it when she lifted her own hand to interlock their fingers and give them a firm shake.

"Then it's a deal, I'll stay alive and won't leave as long as you don't either, we'll see this through together just like we started it together on D'Qar" Elizabeth didn't have it in her heart to tell Sola that her little 'ritual' was in fact known far and wide across the galaxy, that almost everyone had probably made use of it in their life, she didn't have the heart to take something unique in her friend's mind and rip it out to divide amongst anyone else. It would remain only her's for as long as possible for now.

Sola could work with that "Deal".

It was an empty promise for all accounts, even while both wished it were otherwise. War took all promises and turned it to ash.

"Poe's asking for you Sola, something about larger freighter piloting procedures you could observe while he's flying with Chewie" Finn came to fetch her after they parted intertwined fingers, grinning and babbling on about this ice planet they were heading too and how it had been far to long since he'd left base he felt like Leia had forgotten about him. Sola doubted the General could ever forget about Finn with how much he fluttered around base so restlessly all the time. Even in the most endearing way, she still saw the irritation it sometimes stirred on Leia's brow when the older woman was trying to focus on a hundred other things that needed her attention.

Grabbing her jacket, with a reminder of Lizzy who sent her a teasing raised eyebrow, Sola threw the dark leather over her cream coloured tank top and strode from the room down the long corridor towards the cockpit with new resolve bubbling in her veins. They could do this, they had each other and finally the Resistance had someone on the inside who could give them some much needed intel and another small step towards victory. Words could do a lot, and in this case they quelled the dread she now found ridiculous to have stirred up in the first place.

"There you are, come look at these settings on the panel, you'll need to know them if you want to calculate the right light speed settings on anything bigger than an X-Wing" Poe wasn't even looking at her when she entered in front of Finn, frantically switching buttons on his left while Chewie turned to nod to her in greeting. How he even heard her enter in the first place she had no idea, but stood in between the two pilots seat to watch regardless. 

"She's an older model but they haven't changed much over the years when it comes to larger transports and freighters, usually only the Starfighters are upgraded since..." They all knew what he was referring to, though Poe still felt he need to finish "Well, war needs efficiently and the newest models do the worst damage" Then flicking his eyes finally up to her he blinked once before smiling slightly at the sight of her raised eyebrow in question.

What was he looking at?

"Didn't know you still owned that, or did you steal it? I'm still a bit foggy on the details" His eyes flickered to the jacket before turning back to the control panel at his fingertips to flick another switch and subsequently leaning back in his chair with a content sigh for a job well done. 

Sola barely silenced a small giggle before she knocked her elbow against his shoulder and slide herself into the seat behind his own "You told me to keep it remember, and of course I still have it. Haven't had the opportunity to wear it until now" She flushed momentarily at the idea that he had been so pleased to see her wear it to warrant that grin he had when he'd spotted it before quickly wiping that dumb smile off her own face when she heard Finn shuffle into the seat at her side behind Chewie who was now throwing the ship towards into hyperspace. 

Sola felt like a dumb girl to be so affected by such a small thing, and fiddled with the hem to distract herself from the knowing grin she felt Finn stare into the side of her head, teasing her about that fact without words.

"Are there many inhabitants on the planet?" Finn asked through the silence that had settled in the cockpit, making the mechanics head turn to him in bewilderment.

"Did you not read the report Leia sent us?" She asked astounded, she'd probably read it ten times over before she fell asleep just to make sure she'd gotten all the details in. You could never be too prepared.

"I was out cold" Ironic given the climate they we're heading for "and I only had time to skim over it this morning" The Ex-trooper replied bashfully back to her, Poe turned in his seat to chuckle at his friend while Chewie simply gave an exasperated sound and remained focused on keeping the ship on course.

"It's not completely a planet, at least not a fully documented one" Sola started, recounting the report in her mind as best she could "But from what Leia found out there is a small colony settled there called the Sinta Glacier Colony, apparently it's not a big place" Meeting Poe's eyes she shrugs at the curious look in his eyes before leaning back in her seat to try and look smaller. 

Had she spoken too much, had she said something wrong? Maybe lack of sleep had muddled her brain and she'd read the whole thing wrong.

"Didn't know you were such an expert" Poe teased crossing his arms.

"I just read the report properly, you'd all know the same information if you did too" She defended pointedly.

"Some of us got the sleep they needed instead" Poe countered with a knowing look that shut her up and made her huff before he turned to Finn to speak again "We're meeting an informant named Ovissian Boolio, he's transmitting us the message in form of a data encoder of some kind".

"Hence R2-D2" Sola nodded down the hallway to where R2 was currently plugged into a socket to keep himself fully charged up and strapped in just in case there was any turbulence. Not that they were expecting any.

"You done chatting, I'm bored back here I've checked all the equipment again and now I'm staring at the droid for entertainment" Lizzy emerged from the hallway Sola had just nodded towards, groaning over dramatically at her predicament.

Chewbacca gave a grumbled noise that made the medic sigh once more "Another two hours till we arrive?!" She turned her eyes towards Finn and Sola before leaning her elbow on the blonds headrest "I think I spotted a game of dejarik back in the main room" the lull in her tone gave away the invite and Finn practically jumped to his feet to meet it.

"That's what that's called?! We're playing, Poe and me against you two" He beamed, clearly excited by the idea just as much as Lizzy had been suggesting it in the first place.

Sola had never heard of the game and flashed the taller woman hovering above her seat a hesitant look.

All of their eyes collectively turned to Chewie when he rose to his feet, half hunched over in order not to knock his head against the ceiling of the cockpit while he growled. 

"You want to take us all on together?" Lizzy blinked, surprised by the confidence in the Wookie's words as he began ushering them from the small cramped room and down the hall without giving Sola time to argue. 

"He wants to play against us all at once?!" The mechanic asked as she squeezed herself into the circular bench beside Poe, half of her left leg and thigh hanging from the seat clearly not designed for four people. She would've slipped off completely had the curly haired pilot not given a sigh at her predicament and hoisted her into his lap where his arms wrapped loosely around her hips to keep her steady and his chin rested on her shoulder to peer over her down at the table at their knees.

"It's that or you're sitting on the floor babe" He shot back at the offended look the blond turned to give him before she conceded once more. She wasn't winning any debates today it seemed, not that she really minded sitting here, Poe's lap was probably preferred over any seat she'd find in the galaxy, though it was a little embarrassing in front of her friends.

"He says he's played enough games over two hundred years to easily take us on" Lizzy clarified from the end of the bench beside Finn, gesturing for him to switch on the tabletop for the array of figures to flicker into view. 

'Who'd have thought Chewbacca was over two hundred years old...he barely looked a day over thirty', Sola thought to herself amused by her own joke. She chided herself for a it not a moment after, worried it might offend him. 

Did Wookies take pride in how old or young they looked like humans sometimes did? She didn't know much about their culture, hadn't really thought about researching anything up until now. After the fiasco at the party on Corellia, and the patron who's species she eventually discovered was a Dathomirian Zabrak, she had meant to look into different species more thoroughly. To prepare for their particular tempers, quirks and anything else that might aid her in navigating around them without causing any more hassle than she needed to. 

Noting down the need to follow up on that idea, her eyes shifted down towards the table when Poe wordlessly nudged his chin against her shoulder to catch her from her thoughts and back to the task at hand. He'd picked up on that particular talent she held, drifting off into deep thoughts, daydreams and wandering ideas that took her mind away from the present momentarily until she was snapped back into the present either by herself or by a gentle reminder from an outside force that was slowly becoming more and more his doing. Poe didn't mind much, he'd always thought it an endearing trait, one he knew probably stemmed from a rather unpleasant origin. He never held against her, another thing Sola was wordlessly thankful for.

"No canoodling, we need all the brainpower on the game to win this" Lizzy mumbled accusingly across the table towards her team, all of which turned to her with amused faces and quickly determined nods when Chewie began his first confident move. Poe's hands tightened around Sola's waist just a tad, it was enough to keep her attentions on the feeling, in the moment.

Unsurprisingly, they didn't end up winning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the slow updates atm, University has just started up for me again and my head's on a million other things. I promise I'm still eager to keep updating, chapters will probably stay around 2000-3000 words for now so that I can write in short bursts when I have time and not leave too big of gaps in the updates. Anyway, thank you for still reading and commenting you're all wonderful and I absolutely love reading comments and seeing peoples reactions haha, I hope everyone's had a nice September say safe out there!


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